Charmaine Solomon's Asian Favorites PDF

Charmaine Solomon’s
Asian Favourites
Charmaine Solomon’s previous titles include The Complete Asian Cookbook,
The Encyclopedia of Asian Food, Charmaine Solomon’s Thai Cookbook,
Charmaine Solomon’s Complete Vegetarian Cookbook, The Wok Book, The Hot
and Spicy Book, The Vegetarian Book, The Rice and Noodle Book, The Orient
Express Book, The Seafood Book, The Asian Spicy Snack Book, The Low Fat
Asian Book and Charmaine Solomon’s Family Recipes
Praise for Charmaine Solomon’s Thai Cookbook

‘The ubiquitous Solomon is such a best-selling author it’s hard to believe she lives
in suburban Sydney and not Beverly Hills, USA. They should sell her books at air-
ports, next to Wilbur Smith.’
TERRY DURACK
Praise for The Complete Asian Cookbook

‘Once in a while, we encounter a food book that has never, to our knowledge,
received the fanfare it deserves. I would put in this category a book in my library,
The Complete Asian Cookbook by Charmaine Solomon, which I cherish and refer to
often because it is so thoroughgoing and authoritative in its subject matter, and
the recipes are uncommonly well written and authentic.’
CRAIG CLAIBORNE, THE NEW YORK TIMES
‘More than a million copies of Charmaine Solomon’s Complete Asian Cookbook

have been sold since it was published in 1976, lifting her into the ranks of
Elizabeth David, Claudia Roden and Marcella Hazan as a writer who has inspired
a generation or more of cooks. Her books are large format, lavishly illustrated and
comprehensive. Just as importantly, they’re easy to use. Like David, Roden and
Hazan, her instructions are clear and sensible. This quality of not intimidating the
reader is vital for a cookery writer, and Solomon has it. What’s more, she has the
reputation of writing recipes that work.’
NIGEL HOPKINS, THE ADELAIDE ADVERTISER
‘This marvellous book is a tour de force . . . Authentic recipes, all possible for one
Western kitchen.’
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, USA.
Praise for The Encyclopedia of Asian Food

‘A great help to me and, I’m sure, many others. This Encyclopedia fills a genuine
need and does so brilliantly, marrying the well-researched text with exceptionally
good colour illustrations.’
ALAN DAVIDSON, AUTHOR OF THE OXFORD COMPANION TO FOOD
Charmaine Solomon’s
Asian Favourites
Illustrations by Verity Prideaux • Photography by Greg Elms
A SU E H I N E S B O O K
ALLEN & UNWIN
First published in 2001
Copyright text © Charmaine Solomon 2001
Copyright illustrations © Verity Prideaux 2001
Copyright photography © Greg Elms 2001
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording or by any information storage or retrieval system, without prior
permission in writing from the publisher. The Australian Copyright Act 1968
(the Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10% of this book, whichever is
greater, to be photocopied by any educational institution for its educational
purposes provided that the educational institution (or body that administers it)
has given remuneration to Copyright agency Limited (CAL) under the Act.
A Sue Hines Book
Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd
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Crows Nest NSW 2065
Australia
Phone: (61 2) 8425 0100
Fax: (61 2) 9906 2218
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.allenandunwin.com
National Library of Australia
Cataloguing-in-publication entry:
1. Cookery, Asian. 2. Cookery, Oriental. I. Title.
Solomon, Charmaine, 1930-.
Charmaine Solomon’s Asian Favourites.
Includes index.
ISBN 1 86508 140X.
1. Cookery, Asian. 2. Cookery, Oriental. I. Title.
641.595
Designed by Mark Davis, text-art
Food prepared and styled by Virginia Dowzer
Bowls supplied by Freedom Furniture
Edited by Foong Ling Kong
Typeset by text-art
Index by Fay Donlevy
Printed by South China Printing Company, Hong Kong
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of research or private study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the relevant copyright,
designs and patents acts, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior
permission in writing of the publisher. eBooks Corporation
To my busy family and friends who have enjoyed my cooking and given me a great
appreciation of dishes which are universally popular. With love, I offer short cuts to traditional
methods which result in no loss of flavour, and make it possible to cook a meal at home in
the time available.
Contents
Conversion Tables • viii

Great Dishes of Asia • ix
Thailand, Burma and Vietnam • 1
Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore • 39
India and Sri Lanka • 71
Japan, Korea and China • 113
Curry Pastes and Powders • 165
Stockists • 178
Index • 179
Conversion Tables
OVEN TEMPERATURES VOLUME MEASUREMENTS
150°C 300°F 60 ml 2 fl oz ¼ cup
180°C 350°F 100 ml 3½ fl oz
200°C 400°F 125 ml 4 fl oz ½ cup
230°C 450°F 180 ml 6 fl oz ¾ cup
200 ml 7 fl oz
WEIGHT MEASUREMENTS 250 ml 8 fl oz 1 cup
50 g 1¾ oz 300 ml 10 fl oz
60 g 2 oz 375 ml 12 fl oz 1½ cup
100 g 3½ oz 400 ml 13 fl oz
125 g 4 oz 500 ml 16 fl oz 2 cups
150 g 5 oz 560 ml 19 fl oz
160 g 5½ oz 600 ml 20 fl oz 2½ cups
200 g 7 oz 750 ml 24 fl oz 3 cups
250 g 8 oz 825 ml 27 fl oz 3½ cups
300 g 10 oz 1 lt 2 pints 4 cups
350 g 11 oz 1.5 lt 3 pints 6 cups
375 g 12 oz 2 lt 4 pints 8 cups
400 g 14 oz
500 g 1 lb MEASURES
750 g 1½ lb 3 mm ⅛ in
1 kg 2 lb 1 cm ½ in
1.5 kg 3 lb 2 cm ¾ in
2 kg 4 lb 5 cm 2 in
15 cm 6 in
21.5 cm 8 in
viii
Great Dishes
of Asia
All over the world, tastebuds have in each country’s repertoire.

been captured and held to ransom by Even the most delectable dish
the flavours of Asia. Affordable travel must be practical. What’s the point
has introduced new flavours to timid of having a famous recipe and no
palates. These are dishes you may time to work your way through it?
have come across at restaurants, food I have to admit that some recipes
stalls or in friends’ homes. scare me off—that pounding and
Now the traveller wants to taste grinding is all very well when there
those flavours again without the cost is domestic staff to help out, but in
of the fare. In big cities, a restaurant western lands this is the exception
from any part of the world is sure to rather than the rule.
be found. I remember visiting I have shared the time-saving
Odense in Denmark and yearning for methods I use in my own kitchen,
a simple Thai soup, with its clear and taking the tedium out of preparation
sharp flavours. In a Thai restaurant I by offering helpful hints—such as
was served this dish with all the fresh making more of a spice blend than
herbs and roots it would have you need for a single meal and how
featured in its native land. ‘We fly to store it ready for the next time you
them in every week,’ the waiter said want that particular experience. Or
when I expressed surprise.
But what about those who do not
making a large pot of stock (some-
thing that cannot be hurried) and
ix
live in big cities, or who would rather freezing it in portions of convenient
cook a meal at home? It can be done. size.
The recipes here are typical of many My hope is that you return to
Asian countries which have become these recipes time and again, and
famous for certain dishes. You will enjoy the experience.
find soups, snacks and main meals
Thailand, Burma
and Vietnam
Among the similarities in the food preparing a Burmese curry. Fresh

of these neighbouring lands is the coriander, spring onions (scallions)
abundant use of garlic and the fresh and lemongrass are the most
herb coriander. commonly used herbs. Burmese
Perhaps the most distinctive food reveals quite a bit of Indian
feature of Thai food is the liberal use influence, obvious in certain curries
of herbs such as mint, lemongrass, where spices such as cumin,
kaffir lime leaves, galangal, fresh coriander, cardamom or cloves are
chillies and the different varieties of used in very small quantities—
basil. Thai curries are complex and a subtle combination that adds
offer many nuances of flavour. fragrance to a curry. Burmese food
Traditionally, Thai food is cooked in is seldom heavy on chilli, unless in
pork fat, though for health reasons relishes.
many cooks outside Thailand use Vietnamese food is not cooked in
vegetable oil. oil or fat as much as by steaming or
Burmese food, on the other hand, boiling. It is also reliant on fresh
is cooked in sesame oil and relies on herbs, and a large variety of them.
the long, slow cooking of a purée of At Vietnamese restaurants you are
onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric and likely to be brought a plate of
chilli. The mixture is cooked until
the water content of the onions
fragrant herbs to be added to your
meal or eaten as a side salad. Soups
1
evaporates, leaving a richly flavoured are served with a meal, not as a
mass with oil separating around the separate course. The exception is the
edges. It is this process that gives famous pho (pronounced ‘far’) of
Burmese food its individuality, and Vietnam, which is a full meal in a
is the most important step in bowl.
In general, Thai soups are more Fresh ingredients may be bought
piquant and strongly flavoured, while as required, but growing a few herbs
the soups of Burma and Vietnam are such as basil, coriander, spring
delicate. All three countries share a onions (scallions) and lemongrass
dependence on the strongly flavoured would not go amiss. Vietnamese
shrimp paste (kapi in Thailand, ngapi mint (also known as Asian mint, hot
in Burma, mam tom in Vietnam), a mint, Cambodian mint or laksa leaf,
little bit of which goes into almost but actually polygonum odoratum) is a
every savoury dish. Fish sauce, too, is rewarding herb to grow, because it is
a staple in every kitchen, and hardy and requires only a sunny spot
Vietnamese fish sauce is said to be and regular watering to grow into a
the best. When used in quantities fragrant patch. It is a most useful
specified, these two pungent addition to tuck into a leaf parcel
ingredients will not obtrude their with Vietnamese spring rolls or to
aroma or flavour in a dish but bring serve with Vietnamese pho.
out the best in other foods. For making the pastes and blends
Rice and noodles are staples in essential to Thai curries, a powerful
all three countries. The rice used is electric blender is the most useful
mainly polished white rice, and rice appliance. Either that, or find a heavy
flour noodles of varying widths, both mortar and pestle, and develop a
fresh and dried. Some meals also pounding technique!
feature egg and wheat flour noodles. A wok is indispensable for stir-
Bean starch noodles, sometimes fried dishes, but heavy saucepans are
called ‘cellophane noodles’ or ‘spring not to be scorned. Steaming baskets,
rain noodles’, are used for certain too, are useful.
dishes.
RECOMMENDED PANTRY
Black peppercorns Noodles, dried

Chilli powder Palm sugar
Coconut milk, canned Peanut oil
Coriander, ground Roasted rice powder (sold in small
Cumin, ground packets)
Dried shrimp paste (blacan) Sesame oil
Dried tiny shrimps Tamarind pulp or dried tamarind
Fish sauce Turmeric, ground
Galangal, fresh or bottled in brine White rice
2
Hot and Sour Prawn Soup
Tom Yum Goong
It would be difficult to say which is the more popular soup of Thailand—this
or Chicken and Coconut Soup with Galangal, Tom Kha Gai (see page 4). Even
people who do not speak the Thai language know these by their Thai names.
If this soup is one of your favourites, make a batch of Tom Yum Paste (see
page 175) and have it ready in the fridge. Then a bowl of this soup is only
minutes away—boil the water, dissolve the spicy paste and cook the prawns.
Serves 6
500 g (1 lb) raw prawns
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 litres (4 pints/8 cups) water
1 teaspoon salt
2 stems lemongrass, white portion only, thinly sliced
6 slices fresh galangal
6 kaffir lime leaves, whole
3 fresh red chillies, sliced
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
4 spring onions, chopped
chopped red chilli (optional)
Shell the prawns, reserving the heads and shells. Dry the shells on kitchen
paper.
Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the shells and heads until they turn red.
Add water, salt, lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, chillies and garlic. Cover
and simmer for 20 minutes, then strain and reserve the stock.
Devein the prawns, drop them into the stock and simmer for a few minutes
until they are cooked. Add the fish sauce and lime juice to taste, remove from
the heat at once and serve sprinkled with the coriander and spring onions and
a little extra red chilli if desired.
3
Chicken and Coconut Soup
with Galangal
Tom Kha Gai
Creamy and mild with plenty of aroma and flavour from the galangal, lime
leaves, lemongrass and green chillies.
Serves 6
1 small roasting chicken
1 ∑ 560 ml (19 fl oz) can coconut milk
6 slices fresh galangal
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped coriander roots
3 fresh green chillies, whole
1½ teaspoons salt
4 fresh or frozen kaffir lime leaves
1 tablespoon fish sauce
juice of 1–2 limes
chopped fresh coriander leaves
Cut the chicken into joints: divide the drumstick from the thigh, the wings
from the breast, and cut the breast pieces in half. Chop the back into three
pieces.
Put the chicken into a saucepan. Dilute 300 ml (10 fl oz) of the canned
coconut milk with 500 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) water and pour over the chicken.
Add galangal, pepper, coriander roots, lemongrass, chillies, salt and lime
leaves. Bring to a simmer over low heat and cook, uncovered, until the
chicken is tender, stirring occasionally.
Add the remaining undiluted coconut milk and stir constantly until it
reaches simmering point again. Remove from heat, stir in the fish sauce and
lime juice and ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve
with steamed rice.
4
Pumpkin and Coconut Soup
I’ve taken a classic Thai recipe and modernised it, reducing the preparation
time dramatically.
Serves 6
500 g (1 lb) ripe pumpkin
750 ml (24 fl oz/3 cups) water or chicken stock
2 tablespoons Tom Yum Paste (page 175) or Reuben Solomon’s Singapore
Laksa Paste
1 x 400 ml (13 fl oz) can coconut milk
fish sauce or salt
lime juice to taste
a few small basil leaves
Peel and dice the pumpkin, discarding any seeds.
Bring water or stock to the boil in a saucepan and stir in the paste. Add
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) of the coconut milk and the diced pumpkin. Simmer until
the pumpkin is tender.
Stir in the rest of the coconut milk and mash some of the pumpkin to give
thickness to the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary, with a
dash of fish sauce or salt, and a little lime juice. Ladle into bowls and scatter
basil leaves over when serving.
5
Thai Fish Cakes
Tod Mun Pla
There are different versions of Thai fish cakes. The commonest fish cakes
are fried, resulting in a bouncy, rubbery texture that some people accept but
others dislike. My first experience with fish cakes was in an exclusive
restaurant in Thailand where the chef was a minor princess who had learned
her craft in a palace kitchen. The fish cakes she presented were exquisitely
moulded in tiny fish shapes and steamed so their texture was tender, almost
like a mousseline. Ever since, I have been spoiled for fried fish cakes. I realise
that not everybody has a steamer or the space to accommodate one, so this
recipe is adapted for use in an oven, thus resulting in a tender, moist fish
cake. Readily available in kitchen shops are trays of non-stick patty cake tins,
which are ideal for baking these fish cakes. The recipe may be doubled or
trebled for parties and served as finger food. Make a day ahead, except for the
garnish, cover with plastic and refrigerate until required.
Makes 12 small fish cakes
300 g (10 oz) skinless fillets of delicate white fish
2 teaspoons Red Curry Paste (page 173)
2 teaspoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest
a pinch of white pepper
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onions or chives
2 teaspoons rice flour
¼ teaspoon salt
thinly sliced red chillies
kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
Remove any traces of skin and stray bones from the fish and dice the fillets.
Mince finely in food processor for just a few seconds. Mix together the curry
paste, fish sauce, lime zest, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk and
pour through the feed tube while processing the fish for a further 30 seconds.
Scoop the fish mixture into a bowl and mix in the spring onions or chives.
Divide into 12 even portions and with oiled palms roll each into a ball. Press
6 flat and place in oiled patty pans.
Bake the fish cakes for 5–6 minutes. Do not overcook.
Combine the remaining coconut milk with the rice flour and salt in a small
saucepan over low heat, stirring until the mixture boils and thickens. Spoon a
little onto each fish cake, and decorate with a chilli slice and shreds of kaffir
lime leaf or use a single leaf of fresh coriander or small-leaf basil.
Serve 2 fish cakes on a bed of soft lettuce as a first course.
Thai-style Dips and Crudites
A nice way to ring the changes on ever-popular raw vegetables with dips is
to use a Thai dip. It livens up bland vegetables like you wouldn’t believe. Here
are recipes for two dips, one a vegetarian version.
Shrimp Dip (Nam Prik)

3 tablespoons small dried shrimp
1 clove garlic
2 shallots or small red onions
2 fresh red chillies
2 teaspoons palm sugar
2 tablespoons water
Buy dried shrimp that are bright pink in colour and not too hard to the
touch. Wash the dried shrimp and soak in a little warm water to cover for
10 minutes. Remove any sandy veins. Put the drained shrimp into a mortar
and pound them with the garlic, shallots and chillies until mashed to a paste.
Gradually stir in the lime juice, palm sugar, fish sauce and sufficient water to
give a coating consistency.
Serve in a small bowl surrounded by sticks of raw cucumber, celery and
carrots, or lightly cooked asparagus and green beans.
Eggplant Dip (Nam Prik Makua)

1 medium-sized eggplant, about 350 g (11 oz)
1 lime
3 small purple shallots, peeled
1 small clove garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon palm sugar
1 fresh red chilli, sliced
Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Peel and dice the eggplant and
drop into the water. Boil until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
Finely grate the lime zest and squeeze the juice.
Put the eggplant into a food processor or blender with the rest of the
ingredients and blend at high speed to form a purée. Taste and add more lime
juice, salt or sugar if necessary. Serve with vegetables for dipping. 7
Stir-fried Rice Noodles
Pad Thai
One of the most popular street-side snacks of Thailand, this dish of rice
noodles is quickly stir-fried with seasonings, most of which are pantry basics.
Serves 2–4
200 g (7 oz) flat rice noodles, about 3mm (⅛ in wide)
3 tablespoons oil
6 large raw prawns, which have been shelled and deveined (optional)
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons sliced shallots
125 g (4 oz) fresh beansprouts, washed and drained
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce or light soy sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
6 spring onions, cut into bite-sized lengths
1 small bunch garlic chives, chopped
3 tablespoons small dried shrimp, roughly pounded
2 tablespoons chopped pickled radish (optional)
1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
4 tablespoons roughly chopped roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
roasted peanuts, extra
lime or lemon wedges for serving
Soak the rice noodles in hot (not boiling) water for 20 minutes while you
prepare the other ingredients. Drain well before cooking.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok and stir-fry the raw prawns, if using,
sprinkling salt to taste. Remove the prawns from the wok, add the remaining
oil and fry the garlic and shallots over low heat making sure they don’t burn.
Add half the beansprouts and toss for a few seconds, then pour in the beaten
eggs seasoned with salt and pepper.
Add the drained noodles and toss to mix, then add sugar, fish sauce, water
8 and lemon juice, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Keep tossing until the
noodles are cooked. Add the spring onions, garlic chives, dried shrimp,
pickled radish, chilli sauce and roasted peanuts and toss for 1–2 minutes.
Return the cooked prawns and heat through.
Serve hot, garnished with small piles of chilli flakes, extra roasted peanuts
and the reserved beansprouts. The lemon or lime wedges are to be squeezed
over individual servings as desired.
Crisp Rice Noodles
Mee Grob
Another noodle dish featuring many of the same flavours that go into Pad
Thai (see page 8), but the texture is different because of the noodles used.
These are the fine vermicelli, which are fried crisp and should be served soon
after they are combined with the other ingredients. Mee grob works better as a
taste teaser rather than a main dish.
Serves 4–6
125 g (4 oz) rice vermicelli
500 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) oil for deep-frying
200 g (7 oz) firm bean curd, diced small
100 g (3 ½ oz) minced pork or chicken
100 g (3 ½ oz) chopped raw prawns
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 whole bulb pickled garlic
1–2 finely sliced hot chillies
4 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
Separate the rice vermicelli into small handfuls because it puffs and increases
in size when it is fried. (It helps to first put the noodles into a large plastic bag
and work inside the bag, otherwise bits of noodle will scatter over your
kitchen floor.)
Heat the oil in a wok and when a haze rises from the surface, test the heat
by frying a few strands of noodles, which should swell immediately. If not, wait
until the oil heats up a bit more, then fry a handful at a time. The noodles
should turn pale golden in a few seconds. Immediately lift out of the oil and
drain on several sheets of absorbent paper. Leave to cool. Fry the diced bean
curd until golden. Lift out on a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper.
Strain the oil into a heatproof bowl. (It may be re-used.) Return
2 tablespoons of oil to the wok and stir-fry the minced pork or chicken on high
heat until the colour changes. Add the prawns and stir-fry for 1 minute longer.
Stir together the vinegar, sugar and fish sauce until the sugar dissolves.
10 Add the bean curd and the vinegar mixture to the wok. When the liquid
boils, add the eggs and stir until the eggs set. Return the noodles to the wok
and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving dish.
Slice the pickled garlic across the bulb and arrange around the noodles.
Scatter sliced chillies and chopped coriander over and serve at once while the
noodles are still crisp.
Note: Pickled garlic is sold in jars at Asian stores.
Stir-fried Bean Starch Noodles
Pad Woon Sen
While bean starch noodles may appear in cold dishes such as salads, they are
also served hot and highly seasoned. This is one of the quickest ways to get a
tasty meal on the table, relying on the jar of Red Curry Paste or Charmaine
Solomon’s Thai Red Curry Paste I always have in the refrigerator.
Serves 4
200 g (7 oz) bean starch noodles
100 g (3 ½ oz) cooked meat, e.g. barbecued pork, chicken or
Chinese sausage (lap cheong)
2 tablespoons oil
2–3 tablespoons Red Curry Paste (see page 173) or
Charmaine Solomon’s Thai Red Curry Paste
100 g (3 ½ oz) small cooked prawns, peeled
6 spring onions, sliced
50 g (1 ½ oz) roasted peanuts, coarsely crushed
salt or fish sauce
a few sprigs of fresh coriander, chopped
lime or lemon wedges for serving
Soak the noodles in a bowl of hot water for 10 minutes. Drain. Depending on
the thickness of the noodles, cook them in a pan of lightly salted boiling water
for 3–4 minutes if using the fine bean threads, or 8 minutes for the 3 mm
(⅛ in) wide noodles. Drain well.
Slice the meat you are using. If using Chinese sausage, steam over boiling
water for 5–8 minutes until swollen and soft. Slice diagonally.
Heat the oil in a wok. On medium heat fry the curry paste, stirring, for
1 minute. Add the noodles and toss until the curry paste is evenly distributed
over the noodles. Toss in the cooked meat and prawns, spring onions and half
the peanuts. Stir-fry until the noodles are well mixed. Taste and adjust the
seasoning, adding a little salt or fish sauce if required. Serve sprinkled with
the remaining peanuts and the coriander. Lime or lemon wedges may be
offered for squeezing over individual servings.
Note: I advise buying bean starch noodles in plastic net bags containing
8 small bundles of 50 g (1½ oz) each. If purchased in 500 g (1 lb) hanks, they
are fiddly to separate and have to be cut with scissors.
11
Chilli Fried Rice
Khao Pad Prik
Leftover rice is a very useful thing to have in the refrigerator—it makes the
beginnings of a one-dish meal such as fried rice. If you don’t have any rice
ready, you will need the first paragraph of the recipe, otherwise start at the
second step.
Serves 4
2 cups rice
750 ml (24 fl oz/3 cups) water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons Red Curry Paste (see page 173) or
100 g (3 ½ oz) pork, finely diced or minced
250 g (8 oz) small raw prawns, shelled and deveined, or 2 tablespoons dried
shrimp, soaked and drained
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper
1 cup chopped spring onions
1 red chilli, sliced
1 green chilli, sliced
½ cup chopped fresh coriander
Wash the rice and drain well. Bring the rice and water to the boil in a heavy
saucepan with a well-fitting lid. Turn the heat to very low and cook for
15 minutes without lifting lid. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for
a further 10 minutes. Turn the rice onto a large baking dish or tray and leave
to cool. If possible, refrigerate overnight. You should have 4 cups of cold rice.
If you have a rice cooker, combine the rice and water, cook and set aside
to cool.
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the curry paste on medium heat, stirring, for
1 minute. Add the pork and stir-fry until cooked. If you are only able to buy
large prawns, cut them in half and add to the wok, frying for a few minutes
until they are cooked. Add dried shrimp if using.
Add the rice, toss and mix until the grains are coated with the spice mixture
12 and heated through. Push the rice to the edge of the wok, leaving a space in
the centre, and pour in the beaten eggs seasoned with salt and pepper. Stir
until they start to set. Mix with the rice and toss over high heat until the eggs
are cooked.
Sprinkle with fish sauce. Scatter spring onions and chillies over and toss
for a further minute. Serve garnished with fresh coriander.
Thai Seafood Salad
Because their red stripes are so pretty, I am specifying tiger prawns to
contrast with the snowy whiteness of the squid.
Serves 4
300 g (10 oz) tiger prawns
300 g (10 oz) squid tubes
4 fresh kaffir lime leaves
2 stems lemongrass
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped tender ginger
4 tablespoons finely sliced spring onions
6 sprigs fresh mint
3 sprigs fresh coriander
3 fresh red chillies, finely sliced
soft lettuce such as oak leaf
lime wedges for serving
Shell the prawns, leaving the tails on. Slit the curve of the back and remove
the tract.
Cut the squid tubes open and rinse well. Score the inner surface with
diagonal cuts, holding the knife at a 45-degree angle. Cut into bite-sized pieces
about 5 cm (2 in) square.
Put the lime leaves, lemongrass and salt into a saucepan with about 750 ml
(24 fl oz/3 cups) water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes to flavour
the water. Drop in the squid and as soon as the pieces curl and become white
and opaque, lift them out with a slotted spoon. This should take less than a
minute. Do not overcook or the squid will toughen. Add the prawns to the
same water and cook only until they become opaque and the stripes are red.
Lift out and combine with the squid in a bowl.
Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, garlic and ginger. Toss the
seafood in the dressing. Add the spring onions, mint, coriander and chillies.
Toss lightly, arrange on the lettuce leaves and serve at room temperature.
Garnish each serving with a wedge of lime.
13
Thai Green Curry of Fish
Serves 4
500 g (1 lb) fillets of boneless white fish such as ling or snapper
3 tablespoons Green Curry Paste (see page 174) or
Charmaine Solomon’s Thai Green Curry Paste
fresh coriander or Thai basil leaves
Wipe the fish fillets with a damp paper towel in case there are stray scales on
them. Cut into serving size pieces.
Shake the can of coconut milk vigorously before opening it. In a wok
heat half the coconut milk until bubbling. Stir in the curry paste and simmer
for 5 minutes. Add remaining milk, slide in the pieces of fish and spoon the
sauce over. Cook uncovered for just long enough to cook the fish—the exact
time will depend on the thickness of the fillets. Turn off the heat and stir in
the fresh herbs, then spoon into a dish and serve with steamed jasmine rice.
14
Thai Red Curry of Prawns
Cooks in Thailand usually leave the shells on the prawns, and there is no
denying that they do have a more intense flavour. If you are worried things
could get messy at the table, split the shell down the back and remove the vein
before cooking. Then it is a simple matter for diners to extract the meat from
the shell with spoon and fork.
Serves 6
24 large raw prawns or 30 medium-sized raw prawns
3 tablespoons Red Curry Paste (see page 173) or
finely grated zest of 1 kaffir lime
1–2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon palm sugar (optional)
Use kitchen scissors to cut open the prawn shell down the curve of the back.
With a sharp knife slit prawn just enough to expose the sandy intestinal tract
and lift it out.
In a wok or heavy pan heat half the coconut milk until bubbling. Stir in the
curry paste and cook, stirring, until it is thick and fragrant. Stir in the rest of
the coconut milk, lime leaves and zest, fish sauce and palm sugar. Bring to a
simmer.
Add the prawns and, if they are not submerged, top up the sauce by adding
a little water. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the prawns are
cooked and the sauce slightly reduced and thick. This may take 15 minutes,
depending on the size of the prawns. Serve with steamed rice.
15
Chicken in Pandan Leaves
Pandan leaves (long, flat and strap-like) are used in many ways in Asian
cooking. Until recently they were only exported in dried form. A couple
of strips boiled with rice give a good flavour. They are also simmered in
curries.
Fresh pandan leaves are sold in Asian shops and it is worth looking for
them. They are pounded to a paste to flavour and colour cakes and puddings.
In Thailand they are used to fashion tiny cases for sweets, which not only look
dainty but also impart their delicate flavour. This recipe is a perfect example
of how they wrap and flavour at the same time.
Serves 4
500 g (1 lb) chicken thigh fillets
1–2 tablespoons Pepper, Garlic and Coriander Paste (see page 172) or
Charmaine Solomon’s Thai Barbecue Marinade
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 teaspoon palm sugar or brown sugar
pandan leaves, fresh or frozen (dried are not suitable)
Trim any excess fat from the chicken and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Combine all the remaining ingredients (except the pandan leaves) and mix
well with the chicken. Cover and leave to marinate for 30 minutes or longer.
If using frozen pandan leaves, leave at room temperature to thaw and
become flexible. Place 2 pieces of chicken on each strip of pandan leaf which
should be cut just long enough to completely wrap the chicken. Fasten with
toothpicks.
When the little parcels are all made cook them over glowing coals on a
barbecue or under a preheated griller, about a handspan from the source of
heat. Turn them after 4 minutes and cook for a further 4 minutes. Serve
straight away. Diners need to unwrap the parcels before eating.
16
Barbecued Garlic Chicken
Despite its simplicity this has proved to be one of the most popular Thai
recipes. Chicken is marinated in a mixture of garlic, pepper and coriander,
then barbecued. A roasting chicken may be used or, if it is more convenient,
use thigh cutlets or boned half-breasts with the skin left on.
Serves 6
1.5 kg (3 lb) roasting chicken or 6 chicken thigh or breast fillets
3 tablespoons Pepper, Garlic and Coriander Paste (see page 172) or
Cut the chicken in half lengthways. Make shallow slits in the breast and thigh.
Rub the marinade into the chicken on all sides, cover with plastic wrap and
refrigerate overnight or leave at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
Barbecue over glowing coals about 15 cm (6 in) from heat. Turn with tongs
every 5 minutes until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle and the skin
is nicely browned and crisp. Serve with a salad of cucumber slices, spring
onions and tomatoes.
18
Chiang Mai Salad
Larb
This salad has such a following among westerners because its flavours are so
refreshing. The tang of lime juice, the fragrance of fresh herbs and the nutty
aroma of roasted rice make it unlike any other salad. It can be based on beef,
chicken or venison.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons oil
500 g (1 lb) premium minced beef, chicken or venison
3 tablespoons roasted rice powder
1 teaspoon sugar
2 stems lemongrass, white portion only, finely sliced
1 large red onion, finely sliced
6 spring onions , finely chopped
2 fresh red chillies, sliced (optional)
6 sprigs fresh mint
6 sprigs fresh coriander
a few leaves of Vietnamese mint (rau ram)
lettuce leaves
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan and gently fry the paste for a minute or
until fragrant. Add the meat and stir-fry on medium heat until all pinkness
has gone. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then turn into a bowl and leave
to cool.
Finely shred the kaffir lime leaves into thread-like strips, discarding the
tough mid-rib.
Sprinkle roasted rice powder over the beef. Stir together the fish sauce,
lime juice and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the meat and mix
well, adding all the other ingredients except the lettuce. Chop the fresh herbs
just before adding so they don’t lose their colour. Pile meat mixture on lettuce
leaves and serve.
19
Note: Roasted rice may be purchased in small packets in Asian stores. If you
cannot find it, make it at home by roasting ½ cup raw rice grains over low
heat in a heavy pan, stirring constantly, until they are golden brown. This
takes about 10 minutes. Grind to powder in a blender and store in an airtight
jar.
Masaman Curry of Beef
Masaman is the Thai term for Muslim, and this is one of the most popular
curries of Thailand. The dish is a complex blend of traditional flavours and
the fragrant spices of India introduced by Muslim traders. It is rather a sweet
curry.
Serves 6–8
750 g (1 ½ lb) round steak or other stewing beef
1 teaspoon salt
5 green cardamom pods, bruised
300 ml (10 fl oz) water
4 tablespoons Masaman Curry Paste (see page 176) or
Charmaine Solomon’s Thai Masaman Curry Paste
8 small new potatoes, whole
4 tablespoons roasted peanuts
30 basil leaves
Cut the beef into cubes and put into a pan with the salt, cardamom pods,
water and 300 ml (10 fl oz) coconut milk. Bring to the boil and simmer,
uncovered, until the beef is half-cooked. Take off the heat and allow to cool in
the liquid. Reserve the cooking liquid.
In a separate pan, heat the remaining coconut milk until bubbling, stir in
the curry paste and fry until fragrant. Stir in the potatoes, peanuts, beef and
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) of the cooking liquid. Simmer until tender, adding
some of the stock if it becomes too dry.
Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar. Just before serving, add
the basil leaves. Serve with steamed rice.
20
Thai Eggplant Curry
In Thailand, many kinds of eggplant are used and in Australia we are also
being offered a variety. The most common kind, however, are large purple
eggplants, and they are superb in this dish, though you may use other types
if available.
Serves 4
500 g (1 lb) eggplant
oil for deep-frying
Green Curry Paste (see page 174)
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon palm sugar
chopped fresh coriander
Wash and dry eggplant but do not peel. If using slender eggplant, cut into
short slices crossways. Cut large eggplant into large cubes. Deep-fry a few at
a time in hot oil until well browned. Lift out on a slotted spoon and drain on
absorbent paper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and on low heat fry the paste for 1–2 minutes,
stirring. Add the coconut milk, diluted with an equal amount of water. Bring
to the boil. Stir in the fish sauce and palm sugar and simmer for 5 minutes,
then add the eggplant and simmer for 10 minutes or until the eggplant is
tender. Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve with steamed rice.
21
Burmese Fish Soup
with Noodles
Moh Hin Gha
A soup just as central to Burmese cuisine as Tom Yum Goong (see page 3)
and Tom Kha Gai (see page 4) are to Thai cuisine. This one-dish meal is
considered by many to be the national dish of Burma. One of the ingredients,
the heart of a banana tree, used to be available only to those who grow
bananas, but now many Asian food stores sell sections of fresh banana heart.
To use, discard the outer layers and cut the tender inner portion into thin
slices crossways. Soak the slices in a large bowl of salted water for several
hours. The sticky juice forms hair-like threads which should be pulled away
and discarded. If this is not practical for you, use thin slices of canned
bamboo shoot as a substitute.
Serves 6–8
500 g (1 lb) fillets of strong-flavoured fish or 2 cans herrings in
tomato sauce
salt
4 large onions, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
½–1 teaspoon chilli powder
2 fresh red chillies, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
4 tablespoons peanut oil
2 ∑ 400 ml (13 fl oz) cans coconut milk
250 g (8 oz) banana heart or bamboo shoots, sliced
1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste
3 tablespoons chickpea flour
lemon juice to taste
salt to taste
500 g (1 lb) rice vermicelli
accompaniments as desired
22
If using fresh fish fillets, simmer in lightly salted water for 5 minutes and
reserve the fish stock for adding to the soup later.
In a food processor or blender, purée the onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric,
chilli powder and chillies.
Heat the sesame and peanut oils in a large saucepan and add the purée
when it is very hot. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and fry the purée over very
low heat for at least 20 minutes, stirring frequently. If it starts to stick, add a
little water from time to time.
When the water content of the onions has evaporated the mixture should
be a reddish brown and oil should separate around the edges. This is the
important technique that results in the mellow flavour typical of Burmese
food. Add 1 can coconut milk diluted with 2 cans of water, and the drained
banana heart or bamboo shoots. Bring to the boil, turn the heat to low and
simmer until the banana heart is tender.
Dissolve the dried shrimp paste in the fish sauce and add to the pan. Mix
the chickpea flour with a little cold water until smooth and stir into the soup.
Keep stirring until it comes to the boil and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the remaining can of coconut milk, stirring as it comes to a simmer.
Add flaked fish fillets and fish stock or canned fish together with the sauce in
the cans. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice and salt.
Cook the rice vermicelli in lightly salted boiling water for 2 minutes or until
just tender. Drain well and serve in a bowl alongside the soup. To eat, place
the noodles in bowls and ladle over the piping hot soup. Diners can add
accompaniments of their choice, which may be any or all of the following:
finely sliced spring onions
chopped fresh coriander
finely sliced white onion
roasted chickpeas, finely ground in a blender
fried onion flakes
crisp-fried garlic
lime or lemon wedges
dried chillies, fried in oil for 3–4 seconds
chilli powder
Note: Roasted chickpeas may be purchased from Greek delicatessens.
23
Burmese Chicken Curry
with Noodles
Panthé Kaukswé
In Burmese cuisine, it is quite in order for guests to adjust the flavour of
their food to taste, say, by squeezing over a little lemon juice if they want
more piquancy, adding a sprinkling of chilli powder for heat, a scattering of
fresh coriander and spring onions or some slices of fried garlic.
This mild curry with lots of soupy gravy is another of the one-course meals
typical of Burmese cooking.
Serves 6–8
2 kg (4 lb) chicken joints
8 cloves garlic, chopped
4 medium-sized onions, chopped
1–2 teaspoons chilli powder
2 teaspoons salt or to taste
2 tablespoons chickpea flour
500 g (1 lb) fine egg noodles or bean thread vermicelli
accompaniments as for Moh Hin Gha (see page 22)
Thighs, drumsticks and wings are the best pieces to use as they stand up to
long cooking better than delicate breast meat. If jointing a whole chicken, add
the breast pieces after the other joints are almost tender.
Purée the garlic, onions, ginger and dried shrimp paste in a blender.
Heat the oils in a heavy pan and fry the blended ingredients, stirring, for
10 minutes. Add the chicken and continue to fry, stirring constantly. Add
chilli powder, salt and half the coconut milk diluted with an equal amount
of water. Simmer uncovered until the chicken is tender.
Stir in the remaining coconut milk and heat gently, stirring constantly. Mix
the chickpea flour with a little cold water to form a smooth cream. Add to the
24 pan and cook for a further 5 minutes. There will be lots of sauce.
Close to serving time, cook the noodles in a large saucepan of salted boiling
water until just tender. Pour cold water into the pan to stop noodles cooking,
and drain in a colander.
Serve the noodles and curry in separate bowls, and offer accompaniments
for diners to choose from.
Burmese Curry of Beef
with Potatoes
Amétha Net Aloo Hin
Not just a way of stretching a meal to feed more people, the effect of
vegetables cooked in spices is very pleasing. If preferred, diced pumpkin
may be substituted for potatoes.
Serves 6–8
3 large onions, cut into eighths
5 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
750 g (1 ½ lb) beef round, chuck or other stewing steak,
cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes
1½ teaspoons salt or to taste
500 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) hot water
500 g (1 lb) potatoes, peeled and quartered
Put the onions, garlic and ginger into food processor and process until the
onions are finely chopped.
In a heavy-based saucepan heat both oils and when very hot add the onion
mixture. Turn the heat to low and place a lid on the pan. Add the ground
spices and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture smells fragrant. It may
be necessary to add a little water from time to time to prevent the mixture
from sticking to the base of the pan. When the oil separates from the mass
and shows around the edges and on top, add the meat and fry, stirring to coat
with the spice and onion mixture. Add salt and half the water, cover the pan
and cook until the beef is half-done. Add the potatoes and remaining hot
water and cook until the vegetables are tender.
Serve with freshly cooked white rice and a green vegetable such as Greens
with Shrimp Paste (see page 65) or Thai Eggplant Curry (see page 21).
25
Burmese Pork Curry
Wethani Kyet
This delicious curry no doubt owes much to the large quantity of garlic and
ginger used, but also to the long, slow cooking that develops the unique
flavour.
Serves 6–8
3 large onions, roughly chopped
20 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup peeled, sliced ginger
1.5 kg (3 lb) pork loin or thick leg chops, cut into large cubes
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vinegar
1–2 teaspoons chilli powder
Put the onions, garlic and ginger into food processor or blender and process
until finely chopped. Set a strainer over a saucepan and turn the chopped
mixture into it, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Reserve the solids left
in the strainer.
To the liquid in the pan, add the pork, salt, vinegar, chilli powder and
4 tablespoons of the peanut oil. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer over low
heat for 1 ½ hours or until the pork is tender. If necessary, top up with a little
hot water.
In another heavy saucepan heat the remaining peanut oil and sesame oil.
When very hot, add the onion purée. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently,
until the mixture turns a rich reddish brown. From time to time add 1–2
tablespoons water to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan or burning.
Spoon off some of the oil that rises to the top of the pork mixture and add it
to the cooking onions with the turmeric.
When the oil separates from the pork add the onion mixture to the pan and
cook uncovered over medium heat until the oil separates again. The pork
should be stirred frequently when it reaches the stage where the liquid is
almost evaporated or it could stick to the base of the pan and scorch. Serve
26 with steamed rice and vegetable accompaniments.
Vietnamese Fried
Spring Rolls
Cha Gio
Makes 24
1 small (50 g/1 ½ oz) bundle bean thread vermicelli
3 golden shallots, finely chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped
250 g (8 oz) minced pork or beef
250 g (8 oz) raw prawns, chopped
100 g (3½ oz) cooked crab meat
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
24 sheets spring roll wrappers or Vietnamese rice paper rounds
oil for deep-frying
Nuoc Cham (see page 37)
Remove the threads tying the bundle of vermicelli, place vermicelli in a bowl
and pour boiling water over. Soak for 15 minutes, then drain and cut the
vermicelli into short lengths. Combine with the shallots, spring onions, pork,
prawns, crab meat, fish sauce, salt, sugar and pepper.
If using spring roll wrappers, cut the sheets in half. Return to the plastic
packet or cover the wrappers with a tea towel or they will dry out and be
difficult to use. Shape 2 teaspoons of filling into a neat roll and place on
one end of the wrapper. Fold in the ends and roll up so the filling is
completely enclosed.
If using rice paper circles or triangles, dip each one quickly in tepid water
for a few seconds to make them pliable, or brush the paper with a pastry
brush dipped in water. Lay them on a working surface. Take 2 teaspoons of
filling and shape into a neat roll. Place near one end of the circle, bring in the
sides to cover the filling and roll up to enclose. Do not roll too tightly or the
rolls may split during frying. Lay the rolls on sheets of absorbent kitchen
paper and let them dry out slightly before frying. When all are made, deep-fry
28 a few at a time in hot oil over medium heat until crisp and golden. Do not
have the heat too high or they will brown before the filling cooks through.
Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
Serve with soft lettuce leaves (oak leaf lettuce is suitable) and a selection of
fresh herbs such as mint, coriander, Vietnamese mint (rau ram), slender
cucumber spears and fresh beansprouts. Each roll is wrapped in a lettuce leaf
with a cucumber spear and choice of herbs, then dipped in Nuoc Cham and
eaten.
Fresh Rice Paper Rolls
A traditional Vietnamese snack, these are becoming very popular with health-
conscious Westerners as a low-fat version of fried spring rolls. The filling is
based on cooked ingredients, but the fresh herbs and dipping sauce are the
same.
Makes 8–10
Filling
250 g (8 oz) small raw prawns in their shells
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
250 g (8 oz) pork fillet
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
a few garlic chives
coriander sprigs
mint or Vietnamese mint (rau ram)
lettuce leaf
rice paper rounds
lettuce leaves
Nuoc Cham (see page 37)
To make the Filling, cook the prawns in a shallow pan with the water, vinegar
and salt. Cool and peel.
Brown the pork fillet in the oil in another pan. Add the garlic and fry for 30
seconds, then add the liquid the prawns were cooked in, the fish sauce and
sugar. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the pork is tender and the
liquid is almost completely reduced. Cool and cut the pork into fine slices.
Arrange the pork, prawns, garlic chives, coriander and mint on a platter.
To eat, dip the dried rice paper rounds in tepid water for a few seconds
until pliable. Fill each with prawns, pork, 1–2 garlic chives, a sprig of
coriander and mint, then roll up. Wrap in a lettuce leaf and dip in
Nuoc Cham.
Note: If liked, 100 g (3½ oz) rice vermicelli, cooked and drained, may be 29
placed on the platter with pork and prawns. A small amount is added to the
filling before rolling.
Vietnamese Sandwiches
The French influence is evident in the wonderful baguette sandwiches on sale
in many Vietnamese hot bread shops. Try them if you come across a
sandwich or cake shop. On the one side are the intricately colourful cakes, and
one counter is often dedicated to sandwiches which are made to order. They
aren’t called sandwiches, though, but pork rolls.
A diagonal cut is deftly made in the crusty baguette and a smear of liver
pâté applied on the bottom half. Butter is spread on the other half. Two or
three very thin slices of white pork roll are laid on the pâté, then a similar
amount of red pork roll and finally a thin slice of rolled roast pork with a
brilliant red rind. A sprig of coriander, a length of spring onion and a spear
of seedless cucumber are added, and finally about a tablespoon of finely
shredded carrot which is doused with a squirt of soy sauce. (A Japanese grater
is invaluable for shredding hard vegetables into thread-like strips.) You will
be asked whether you wish sliced chillies to be added. They are large and red,
but every bit as hot as the tiny bird’s eye chillies which have earned such a
reputation. In moderation, they add anticipation and excitement.
Never had such a sandwich graced the gambling rooms where the Earl of
Sandwich gave his name to the hand-held snack of meat and bread. It is
possible to buy pork rolls from the refrigerator section of any Vietnamese
store if you wish to assemble your own baguettes à la Vietnam.
30
Shrimp on Sugar Cane Sticks
Fresh sugar cane is sold in some Asian shops, and if you find some, it is
worth trying this delectable snack. The cane must be skinned with a sharp
knife, cut into short lengths, then split into thin spears. Canned sugar cane
may be used for the skewers. Each length of sugar cane should be split
lengthways into 4–6 spears and patted dry.
Serves 6–8
1 tablespoon oil
1 egg white
60 g (2 oz) boiled pork fat, finely diced
½ teaspoon salt
a pinch of white pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
lengths of peeled sugar cane
Shell the prawns, slit along the curve and remove the sandy vein. Rinse the
prawns in cold water and drain on absorbent paper. Chop very finely or purée
in food processor, adding oil, fish sauce and egg white. When it is a soft paste
remove from the processor and mix in the diced pork fat, salt, pepper and
sugar. Mould heaped tablespoons of the mixture on sugar cane sticks.
Cook the sugar cane sticks over glowing coals on a barbecue or under a
preheated griller.
Serve with soft lettuce leaves and rounds of moistened rice paper for
wrapping, and sprigs of fresh mint and coriander and other fresh greens such
as Vietnamese mint (rau ram).
31
Chicken with Bean
Thread Vermicelli
A simply made Vietnamese dish.
Serves 4–5
150 g (5 oz) bean thread vermicelli
1 tablespoon oil
500 g (1 lb) chicken thigh or drumstick fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 firm ripe tomatoes, sliced
2 small white onions, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
salt and pepper
Put the noodles into a bowl and pour over sufficient boiling water to cover.
Leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain and cut the noodles into short lengths.
Heat a wok, add the oil and stir-fry the chicken until it changes colour. Add
the noodles and spring onions and toss for a further minute or two. Add fish
sauce, pepper and water and simmer for 5 minutes.
Make a side salad by combining the tomatoes and onions with the sugar,
vinegar, salt and pepper.
Serve the chicken hot with the side salad.
32
Chicken and Cabbage Salad
A friend who lived in Vietnam gave me this recipe. It is the most refreshing
salad and we make it often for summer lunches.
Serves 6
500 g (1 lb) chicken thigh fillets
salt and pepper
1 small white Chinese cabbage
2 large red onions or 8 shallots, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
juice of 2 limes
2 handfuls chopped mint or Vietnamese mint (rau ram)
2 handfuls chopped coriander leaves
Trim the chicken fillets of any fat and place in a saucepan with just enough
water to cover. Add ½ teaspoon salt and a sprinkling of pepper. Bring to a
slow simmer. Cover the pan and cook until the chicken is done, about 10
minutes. Let the chicken cool in the liquid.
Remove any discoloured or damaged outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut the
cabbage into quarters lengthways, wash in cold water, shake off as much
water as possible and shred very finely, crossways. Put the cabbage into a
bowl, cover and chill.
Put the onions into a bowl, sprinkle with the salt and work the salt into the
onions with your fingers. Leave for 30 minutes, rinse in cold water and
squeeze out as much moisture as possible. This reduces the pungent flavour.
Mix in half the sugar.
Combine the remaining sugar with the fish sauce, lime juice and vinegar.
Slice the cooled chicken thinly. Shortly before serving, combine the
chicken, cabbage and onion with the dressing. Toss with mint and coriander.
33
Beef and Rice Noodle Soup
Pho
Here is the national dish of Vietnam, served and eaten at any time from
breakfast to supper, in fancy restaurants or little take-away places, as well as in
homes. The basis is a strong, well-flavoured beef stock simmered
for hours.
Serves 8
Stock
1 kg (2 lb) shin beef
2 kg (4 lb) beef bones (not shin bones)
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3 whole star anise
5 cardamom pods
6 whole cloves
1 cinnamon quill
1 onion, peeled and left whole
2 sprigs celery leaves
1 knob ginger, sliced
500 g (1 lb) fresh rice noodles
250 g (8 oz) fresh mung beansprouts
1 white onion, thinly sliced
300 g (10 oz) beef fillet, thinly sliced
fresh mint, chopped
coriander, chopped
sliced chillies
lime wedges and fish sauce to taste
34
To make the Stock, in a large saucepan put the beef, bones, whole spices,
onion, celery leaves, ginger and fish sauce. Add cold water to completely cover
and bring to the boil, skimming the surface of froth several times. Turn the
heat to very low, cover the pan and simmer for 5–6 hours, but remove the
beef after 2 hours or when it has become tender. Strain the stock and add salt
to taste. The stock may be made ahead and frozen, and reheated to boiling
point when required.
To serve, pour boiling water over the rice noodles, drain and put a serve of
noodles in each bowl with a handful of beansprouts. Scatter the onion slices
over the noodles.
Bring the stock to the boil.
Put slices of beef into a large ladle and dip into the boiling stock. When the
beef is pale pink, ladle over the noodles together with some stock. Serve at
once, letting each person add fresh herbs and chillies to taste. Lime wedges
and fish sauce are placed on the table and may be used to correct the
seasoning.
35
Beef with Crushed Sesame
Seeds and Bamboo Shoots
It is not advisable to double this recipe—better to cook it in two lots if serving
more than four people.
Serves 4 with rice
4 tablespoons sesame seeds
400 g (14 oz) lean fillet or rump steak, thinly sliced
1 piece canned winter bamboo shoot, drained and sliced
6 spring onions, cut into bite-sized pieces
Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan or wok, stirring constantly so they
brown evenly. Turn out onto a plate to cool, then crush with a mortar and
pestle or in a blender.
Heat a wok, add 2 tablespoons of the oil and when very hot stir-fry the beef
quickly for 1 minute. Remove from the wok. Add the remaining tablespoon of
oil and fry the bamboo shoot and spring onions for 2 minutes, then add the
garlic and stir for 1 minute. Add the fish sauce, return the beef to the wok and
stir-fry for a minute longer. Add the sesame seeds and mix well. Serve hot
with rice.
36
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
Nuoc Cham
There are many dipping sauces served with Vietnamese food. This is
a favourite, and is always used with spring rolls.
Makes 180 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup)
1–2 hot red chillies
1–2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon mild vinegar
3 tablespoons water
Remove the stems and seeds of chillies and chop the chillies very finely.
I advise wearing disposable gloves for this task.
Smash the cloves of garlic against a wooden board with the flat of a knife
and lift off the skins. Sprinkle with sugar and work into a fine purée with the
knife blade. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Some versions add a little
finely shredded carrot.
37
Indonesia, Malaysia
and Singapore
The culinary boundaries between of Singapore. Nonyas, (also known

these countries are by no means as Straits-born Chinese) are the
clearly defined. What you may have descendants of Chinese immigrants
tasted in one country is almost and Malay locals. Intermarriage
certain to be duplicated in the others. between the two races has created a
Who can say that satays, those most surprising and spicy cuisine.
tempting morsels of beef, chicken Singapore is the most cosmo-
or pork threaded on bamboo skewers politan city I have ever visited, and
and cooked over charcoal fires, the variety of cuisines reflects the
belong exclusively to Indonesia or number of different ethnic groups
Malaysia or Singapore? The same who have settled there and made
applies to the myriad noodle and rice this small island a paradise for
dishes which form the basis of these gourmets and gourmands. Most
cuisines; and some of the curries produce in Singapore is imported,
and accompaniments such as not only from near neighbours
sambals, those explosive little Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand
vehicles for hot chillies, are as much who have more land to cultivate, but
at home in one country as another. also from far away countries which
While much of the population of offer fruits and vegetables grown in
this melting pot is Muslim and their
dishes would never feature pork,
cooler climes. Air freight makes all
things possible, so in this bustling,
39
where the Chinese influence is prosperous, tropical city, one can
predominant there will be recipes enjoy stone fruit, berries, cherries,
based on pork, yet using the spices apples, pears and grapes as well as
of Malaysia as in the Nonya cooking mangosteens, durians, rambutans,
longans, mangoes and starfruit which requires highly spiced foods
which are more at home in this part to tempt heat-jaded appetites.
of the world. Leafy vegetables are To cover the cuisines of these
grown by a small number of countries you will need, in your
farmers, some of whom use pantry, a mixture of Chinese
hydroponic methods to grow seasonings and sauces, plus
vegetables in multi-storey factories. Malaysian and Indonesian spices. In
Fish is a very important and addition, purchase as needed fresh
popular item in Singapore, and both lemon grass, pandan leaves, chillies,
freshwater fish and seafood are and curry leaves. Hard tofu (bean
farmed. curd) is sold in the refrigerator
Malaysia also has a number of section of Asian stores. Years ago,
different ethnic groups such as when I wrote my first books, canned
Malays, Chinese and Indians, each coconut milk was a thing of the
with their own food styles. In some future and when it first arrived on
areas such as Malacca, the food has the market the quality was not great.
been powerfully influenced by the Now, however, there are numerous
colonising Portuguese, yet spicier satisfactory brands available. It is a
than the original, having in turn perishable ingredient, so after
been given more than a passing opening a can and using the amount
brush with local flavours. needed, pour the rest into an ice
Indonesia, straddling the equator cube tray and freeze it. Store in
with its 18,000 islands (give or take freezer containers and use as
a few) has the kind of steamy climate required.
RECOMMENDED PANTRY
Bean sauce Five-spice powder

Black beans, salted Noodles and vermicelli of
Candle (kemiri) nuts different kinds
Chilli powder Oyster sauce
Chilli sauce Peanut oil
Coconut milk, canned Rice
Coconut, desiccated Sambal oelek
Coriander, ground Sesame oil
Cumin, ground Soy sauce: dark, light and
Dried mushrooms and sweetened
wood fungus Tamarind pulp (dried) or purée in
Dried shrimp paste (blacan) jars
40 Fennel, ground Turmeric, ground
Spicy Chicken Soup
Soto Ayam
Serves 6
1 ∑ 1.5 kg (3 lb) roasting chicken
2 litres (4 pints/8 cups) cold water
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 large brown onions
3 teaspoons salt
2 salam leaves or 10 curry leaves
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fennel
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Garnishes
250 g (8 oz) egg noodles soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
3 hard-boiled eggs, diced
3 tablespoons crisp-fried shallots
potato crisps
Joint the chicken and put into a large saucepan with the cold water to cover.
Add the peppercorns, celery leaves, 1 whole onion and salt. Bring to the boil,
then turn the heat to very low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until the
chicken is tender. Remove from the heat and leave the chicken to cool in the
liquid. When lukewarm, strain the stock into a bowl. Cut the chicken into
small pieces and set aside, discarding the skin and bones.
Chop the remaining onion. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion with the
salam leaves until the onion is soft and golden brown. Add the garlic, ginger,
shrimp paste and ground spices. Crush the shrimp paste with the back of the 41
frying spoon and after 1–2 minutes add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
Bring the soup to the boil and drop in the noodles for 3 minutes. Add the
chicken pieces and ladle into a tureen. Garnish with the eggs, spring onions
and fried shallots. Serve the soup with a separate bowl of potato crisps, which
may be crumbled onto each serving of soup. For those who like it hot, offer a
small bowl of sambal oelek on the side.
Spicy Satays
These little skewers of barbecued meat may be made using various kinds of
meat and different kinds of marinade, but the marinade is always spicy and
the sauce is always peanutty—a winning combination. Soak the bamboo
skewers in cold water for at least a couple of hours before threading the meat
on so they don’t burn.
Makes about 30 skewers
750 g (1 ½ lb) chicken fillets (thigh or breast) or rump steak or pork loin
6–8 brown shallots or 2 brown onions, chopped
2 teaspoons grated ginger or galangal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons roasted, skinned peanuts
juice of ½ lime
1–2 tablespoons oil
To serve
Peanut Sauce (see page 45)
purple onions, sliced
lime wedges
cucumber, cut into batons
42
Cut the meat into small cubes, no larger than a fingertip. This gives a good
proportion of spice marinade to meat, and ensures that the meat cooks
through. The meat in satays is always well cooked.
Put the chopped shallots, lemongrass, garlic and ginger in a blender and
process to a purée.
Roast the coriander and cumin in a dry pan over low heat, stirring
constantly or shaking the pan to prevent scorching. This intensifies the
flavour. Add to the blender with the turmeric, salt, sugar, soy sauce, peanuts
and lime juice. Add 1 tablespoon oil and blend at high speed until a smooth
purée results. Add the second spoonful of oil if necessary.
Pour the marinade over the meat, mix well, cover and leave for 1–2 hours.
Thread the meat on soaked bamboo skewers, about 6 pieces on each, leaving
a little space between so they cook evenly on all sides. Leave half the skewer
bare and wrap in a strip of foil as extra protection against the skewer charring.
Cook satays over glowing coals on a barbecue until the meat is well done.
Serve with Peanut Sauce and purple onions, lime wedges and cucumber.
43
Vegetables with Peanut Sauce
Gado Gado
This popular salad of lightly cooked and raw vegetables served with Peanut
Sauce is ideal for vegetarians if the shrimp paste is omitted. Adjust the
quantities of vegetables as needed.
Serves 6–8
500 g new or waxy potatoes, boiled
500 g (1 lb) green beans or 2 bunches snake beans
3 carrots, sliced
250 g (8 oz) fresh beansprouts, tails pinched off
½ small cabbage, sliced and steamed
seedless cucumbers, sliced
firm bean curd, fried and sliced
hard-boiled eggs, quartered
Peanut Sauce (page 45)
crisp-fried shallots
prawn crackers (optional)
Peel and slice the potatoes into rounds. Trim the beans and cut into bite-sized
pieces, then steam or blanch until tender but still crisp. Do the same with the
carrots. Blanch the beansprouts in boiling water for a few seconds. Arrange all
the vegetables on a platter, and top with slices of fried bean curd and the hard-
boiled eggs.
Thin the Peanut Sauce with water to a thick pouring consistency. Taste
and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then spoon over the vegetables.
Sprinkle with fried shallots and garnish, if liked, with fried prawn crackers.
Serve at room temperature.
Note: Seedless cucumbers are also known as Lebanese or telegraph
cucumbers.
44
Peanut Sauce
There are many recipes for peanut sauce, but this is my favourite. If you have
some crisp-fried shallots, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons on the sauce just
before serving.
Makes about 500 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups)
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) peanut oil
6 cloves garlic, sliced, or 2 teaspoons dried garlic flakes
1 medium-sized onion, sliced thinly or 2 tablespoons dried onion slices
3 large dried red chillies
1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste (blacan)
1 tablespoon tamarind purée or lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
375 g (12 oz) extra crunchy peanut butter
salt
1 tablespoon raw sugar
Heat the oil in a small wok over gentle heat. It should not be too hot. If using
dried garlic flakes, put them in a fine wire strainer and lower into the oil for a
few seconds just until they turn pale golden. Lift out and drain on absorbent
paper. This is the only way to fry dried garlic without burning it. Do the same
with the dried onion slices as they will also burn if left too long in the oil.
If using fresh onion and garlic, fry, stirring, until golden, then lift out on a
slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper until cool and crisp.
Fry the dried chillies until they puff and turn almost black. Drain and cool,
then discard the stems and crumble the chillies into small pieces.
In the same oil, fry the shrimp paste, crushing it with the frying spoon.
Add the tamarind and the soy sauce and stir to dissolve the shrimp paste.
Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter until well combined.
When the sauce is cold, mix in the garlic, onion, chilli and sugar. This
mixture is too thick to pour. When required, stir in enough water or coconut
milk to give a spooning or pouring consistency. Taste and add salt or extra
sugar if necessary.
This sauce may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and used as
required.
When time is short, stir 2 tablespoons of Charmaine Solomon’s Rendang
Curry Paste into 6 tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter and thin to
a pouring consistency with cold water and/or canned coconut milk. My 45
Rendang Curry Paste has more spices in it than this recipe for Peanut Sauce,
but it tastes remarkably good. For texture, stir in 2 tablespoons of crisply fried
shallots. In Asian stores, you can buy these already fried.
Fish Cakes in Banana Leaves
Otak Otak
A delicious appetiser of spiced fish enclosed in banana leaves and cooked over
coals, often sold at street stalls in Indonesia and Malaysia. They are easily
made with the help of a food processor. Aluminium foil can replace the
banana leaves. If not using a barbecue, cook them under a preheated grill.
Makes 12 parcels
400 g (14 oz) boneless white fish fillets
3 tablespoons spice paste as in Laksa Lemak (see page 48) or
Reuben Solomon’s Singapore Laksa Paste
3 tablespoons coconut milk
1 egg, beaten
1 red chilli, seeded and sliced
finely grated zest of 1 lime
banana leaves
Slice the fish fillets and put into a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Mix
together the laksa paste, coconut milk and egg. Process until the fish is finely
chopped, adding the other ingredients through the feed tube until a well-
combined mass forms. With a spatula, transfer the fish paste to a bowl and
mix in the chilli and lime zest.
Wash the banana leaf and use a sharp knife to remove the thick centre rib.
Cut the leaf into rectangles large enough to enclose a generous tablespoon of
fish paste. To prevent the banana leaf splitting when folded, pass it over a gas
flame or put it under an electric grill until it becomes pliable.
With a wet tablespoon, put heaped tablespoons of fish paste in the centre
of each piece of banana leaf. Fold the leaf over to completely enclose the paste
and flatten to less than 1 cm (½ in) thick. Fasten the ends with toothpicks. If
banana leaves are not available, use a double layer of aluminium foil, shiny
side in. When the parcels are all made, cook over a barbecue or under a griller
until the fish paste is firm and cooked through, about 6 minutes on each side.
Serve in the wrapping, which is removed before eating.
46
Curry Laksa
Laksa Lemak
A bowl of noodles swimming in a rich, spicy, coconut milk soup featuring
whole prawns, slices of fried bean curd, snapping fresh beansprouts . . . this
would have to be Singapore’s signature dish. Other kinds of seafood may be
used, or it may be made with chicken or fish. Laksa is a meal in one dish.
A photograph of this dish appears on page 51.
Serves 4–6
500 g (1 lb) raw king prawns
2 teaspoons salt
400 ml (13 fl oz) coconut milk
small bunch laksa leaves (polygonum), shredded
8 squares deep-fried bean curd, sliced
1 small seedless cucumber, cut into narrow strips
150 g (5 oz) fresh beansprouts, trimmed and rinsed
3 hard-boiled eggs, halved
Spice Paste
10 purple shallots or 2 medium-sized onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
5 candle (kemiri) nuts, roughly chopped
2 stems fresh lemongrass, finely sliced
3 tablespoons dried shrimp, soaked until softened
2 tablespoons chopped galangal, fresh or in brine
2 teaspoons ground coriander
48
Shell the prawns, leaving the tail on. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and stir-fry the
shells and heads of the prawns until they turn red. Add the water and salt and
bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the stock and
discard the heads and shells.
To make the Spice Paste, put all the ingredients into a blender and process
until puréed, adding a little oil if necessary to facilitate blending.
Heat the remaining oil in a wok and fry the blended mixture over a low
heat until fragrant, stirring constantly to make sure it does not scorch. When
the oil separates from the mass and shines on the surface of the paste, add the
strained stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
In another pan, cook the rice vermicelli for 2 minutes or until tender but
do not overcook. Drain in a colander, run cool water through to stop them
becoming too soft, and drain again.
Just before serving bring the soup to the simmering point and stir in the
coconut milk. Add the prawns and cook only until they become opaque. Lift
out on a slotted spoon and set aside. Drop the rice noodles into the soup to
heat through, then ladle into large bowls.
Garnish each bowl with some of the shredded laksa leaves, fried bean curd
and cucumber. Arrange the prawns on top, then a small handful of
beansprouts and a halved hard-boiled egg. For those who like their laksa really
hot, offer a small bowl of sambal oelek or crushed fresh chillies.
Note: Dried galangal slices are not suitable for using in the spice paste—they
could do irreparable damage to your blender. Fresh or brined galangal are
readily available in Asian shops.
For those who do not have time to prepare the spice paste from scratch,
you can use Reuben Solomon’s Singapore Laksa Paste. Dissolve half a jar
(about 130 g/4 oz) in 1.25 litres (2½ pints/5 cups) hot water or stock. Cook
100 g (3 ½ oz) rice vermicelli in the soup and add prawns or thinly sliced
chicken fillets, beansprouts, coconut milk and your favourite
accompaniments. The quantities serve 3, and the rest of the paste will keep in
the refrigerator for weeks.
49
Fried Noodles
Mee Goreng
There are many recipes for fried noodles, varying from region to region.
I chose one that illustrates the mixture of cultures found in south-east Asia.
I am indebted to my friend Wendy Hutton for this recipe from her book,
Singapore Food. She writes, ‘A most unusual dish, sold by Indian hawkers . . .
a combination of Chinese, Indian and Western ingredients; makes a tasty
luncheon or snack.’
Serves 4–5
500 g (1 lb) fresh yellow noodles (Hokkien mee)
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) oil
1 square hard bean curd, finely diced
1 medium-sized brown onion, chopped
1 medium-sized tomato, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic chives or spring onions
1 sprig fresh curry leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chilli sauce
2 teaspoons light soy sauce
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 potato, boiled, peeled and finely diced
1 fresh green chilli, sliced
Rinse the noodles in warm water, drain and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the bean curd until golden brown. Drain and
set aside.
Cook the onion in the same oil for 2–3 minutes until soft, then add the
drained noodles, tomato, chives, curry leaves and three sauces. Cook over a
gentle heat, stirring frequently, for 3–4 minutes.
Pour the beaten eggs over and leave to set for about 45 seconds before
stirring to mix it in well with the noodles. Add the potato and bean curd, stir,
cook for another 30 seconds and transfer to a large serving dish. Garnish with
green chilli and serve with additional tomato and chilli sauce on the side for
diners to add to taste.
50
Opposite page: Curry Laksa (see page 48)
Rice Noodles in Spicy Gravy
Mee Siam
Mee Siam is a dish reminiscent of the famous laksa (see page 48), but the
noodles and gravy are served separately.
Serves 4–6
200 g (7 oz) hard bean curd
oil for frying
250 g (8 oz) fresh beansprouts
250 g (8 oz) small cooked prawns, peeled and deveined
1 small bundle garlic chives or 6 spring onions, cut into bite-sized lengths
2 or 3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
2 limes, quartered, or 6 limau kesturi, halved
Spice Paste
6 brown shallots or 2 brown onions
3 cloves garlic
1 stem lemongrass, white portion only, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon canned salted soybeans
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
walnut-sized piece of dried tamarind or 2 tablespoons tamarind purée
52
Drop the rice vermicelli into a large pan of boiling water, boil for 2 minutes,
drain in a colander and run cold water through to stop cooking. Drain again.
Cut the bean curd into 1 cm (½ in) thick slices, press on paper towels
to absorb the excess moisture and fry in oil until golden on both sides. Drain,
cool and dice.
Wash the beansprouts and pinch off any straggly tails. Set aside.
To make the Spice Paste, soak the dried chillies and dried shrimp in
enough hot water to cover for 15 minutes. Put in an electric blender with
2 tablespoons of the soaking water and the shallots, garlic, lemongrass and
shrimp paste. Blend to a purée, adding a little of the oil if necessary.
Heat the 2 tablespoons oil in a wok and on low heat fry the purée, stirring
constantly for about 3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the soybeans, sugar and
salt.
Remove half the cooked paste to a saucepan, stir in the coconut milk and
the same amount of water. Soak the dried tamarind in about 125 ml (4 fl oz/
½ cup) hot water and, when softened, knead to dissolve the pulp. Strain the
liquid and add to the saucepan, stirring constantly while bringing to
simmering point. If using tamarind purée, just add and simmer, uncovered,
for a few minutes.
Reheat the remaining paste and toss the prawns, beansprouts and chives
for 1 minute. Add the drained rice vermicelli, toss and stir until well
combined and heated through. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the
fried bean curd, eggs and limes.
Serve the hot gravy in a separate deep dish so each person can take a
serving of rice noodles, then ladle the gravy over. For extra flavour, squeeze a
little lime juice into the gravy. A small dish of sliced fresh chillies or a hot
sambal may be served alongside.
Note: Limau kesturi are also known as Chinese limes, citrus microcarpa and
kalamansi.
On a recent visit to Singapore, I enjoyed this dish and craved it when
I was back home, but could not spare the time to prepare it. However,
where there’s a will there’s a way. I put the eggs on to boil, and created a very
good reproduction of this dish in minutes. In 1.5 litres (3 pints/6 good cups)
boiling water, I dissolved 3 tablespoons Reuben Solomon’s Singapore Laksa
Paste and 2 tablespoons Charmaine Solomon’s Rendang Curry Paste plus
1 tablespoon sugar to give the sweetness which was so appealing in the
Singapore version. Our garden yielded chives and limes, the pantry always has
rice vermicelli and cans of coconut milk. I didn’t even miss the tofu and bean
sprouts, but I did wish I hadn’t used up all the prawns in the freezer. For a 53
10-minute meal, it was great!
Fried Fresh Rice Noodles
Char Kway Teow
A popular dish that definitely tells of the Chinese influence in South-east
Asia. Fresh rice noodles are sold at Chinese shops as sa hor fun and
Vietnamese shops as banh pho. Sometimes, they are sold already cut into
strips.
Serves 6
1 kg (2 lb) fresh rice noodles (kway teow)
6 dried shiitake mushrooms
250 g (8 oz) pork with plenty of fat
2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong)
3 hot red chillies, sliced
4 shallots or 1 small onion, sliced
100 g (3 ½ oz) barbecued pork fillet, sliced
250 g (8 oz) raw prawns, shelled and deveined
200 g (7 oz) cleaned squid, cut into strips (optional)
125 g (4 oz) fresh beansprouts, tails removed
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 eggs, beaten
If using uncut rice noodles, cut into strips about a finger’s width. Place in a
colander and pour boiling water over them. Leave to drain.
Soak the mushrooms in very hot water for 20 minutes. Squeeze out the
water, discard the stems and cut the caps into strips. Cut the pork into 2 cm
(¾ in) pieces and fry in a wok without any oil until the fat runs. Lift out the
pork pieces and leave 2 tablespoons of the melted fat in the wok, reserving the
rest. Steam the Chinese sausages for 10 minutes, then cut into very thin
diagonal slices.
Reheat the pork fat in the wok and on low heat fry the garlic, chillies and
shallots until golden and fragrant. Add the pork, mushrooms, Chinese
sausages, barbecued pork, prawns and squid and toss on high heat for
54 2 minutes. Add the beansprouts and toss for 30 seconds, then remove
the mixture from the wok.
Heat another 2 tablespoons melted pork fat until smoking hot. Add the
drained rice noodles and toss until heated through. Pour over all the sauces
and stir-fry until well mixed. Push noodles to the side of the wok, pour the
beaten eggs into the centre and stir until set. Return the fried mixture to the
wok together with the spring onions and toss again until heated through.
Fried Rice
Nasi Goreng
Another recipe for fried rice (see also page 133), a dish as flexible as you want
it to be, mostly depending on what you find in the refrigerator, so long as one
of the finds is cold cooked rice. From there on, the possibilities are endless.
Chicken or barbecued pork may take the place of prawns and beef, even
leftover curry can be used—a fairly dry curry is better than one with lots of
gravy. For an Indonesian version of nasi goreng, a fried egg, sunny side up,
must top each portion.
Serves 2–4
4 cups cold cooked rice
2 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons oil
3 shallots or 1 onion, finely sliced
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
250 g (8 oz) rump steak, thinly sliced
250 g (8 oz) small raw or cooked school prawns, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce
6 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 fresh chillies, seeded and sliced
1 fried egg per person (optional)
1 seedless cucumber, finely sliced
Separate the rice grains with wet hands so they don’t clump together. Season
the beaten eggs with salt and pepper to taste, and cook 2 flat omelettes in a
lightly oiled pan. Cut the omelettes into thin shreds and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the shallots and garlic until fragrant and
golden. Add the shrimp paste and fry for a further minute, then stir-fry the
steak until it changes colour. Add the prawns and stir-fry until opaque. Add
the rice and toss, sprinkling with the soy sauce. Add spring onions and
chillies, and continue tossing over heat until the ingredients are well mixed
and heated through. Toss the omelette strips through the rice. Serve with a
fried egg on each portion if desired, and slices of cucumber to garnish.
55
Coconut Rice
Nasi Lemak
This recipe does not work in a rice cooker.
Serves 6–8
500 g (1 lb) medium or short-grain rice
400 ml (13 fl oz) canned coconut milk
300 ml (10 fl oz) water
2 teaspoons salt
a strip of fresh pandan leaf (optional)
Wash and drain the rice well. In a saucepan with a heavy base and well-fitting
lid bring the coconut milk, water, salt and pandan leaf to the boil on low heat,
stirring. Add the rice, turn the heat to very low, cover tightly and cook for 20
minutes. If necessary, put a heat diffuser under the pan so the rice does not
scorch. When all the coconut milk is absorbed turn off the heat and leave the
pot covered for 10 minutes. Turn the rice into a steamer or colander and
steam over boiling water for a further 20 minutes, gradually turning the heat
down so that the water only simmers. Serve as an accompaniment to dishes
such as Beef Rendang (see page 64), Hot Prawn Sambal (see page 60), Thai
Fish Cakes (see page 6), Greens with Shrimp Paste (see page 65), and
Balinese-style Fried Chicken (see page 63).
56
Spicy Yellow Rice
Nasi Kuning
Bright yellow with turmeric and subtly flavoured with whole spices, this rich
rice cooked in coconut milk is usually served when entertaining.
This recipe does not work in a rice cooker.
Serves 10–12
1 kg (2 lb) long-grain rice
1 tablespoon ghee
2 tablespoons oil
2 medium-sized onions, thinly sliced
1 small cinnamon quill
5 cardamom pods, bruised
5 whole cloves
2 level teaspoons ground turmeric
2 litres (4 pints/8 cups) thin coconut milk (see Note)
3 teaspoons salt
Wash the rice and leave to drain for 1 hour. In a heavy saucepan heat the ghee
and oil and fry the onions and garlic until golden brown. Add the whole spices
and fry for 1–2 minutes. Add the turmeric and stir for a few seconds, then add
the rice and stir over medium heat for 3 minutes or until all the grains are
coated with oil. Add the coconut milk and salt. Bring to the boil, lower the
heat, cover the pan tightly and steam the rice for 15–20 minutes.
After the first 10 minutes put a heat diffuser under the pan so the bottom
does not scorch. Turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for a further
10 minutes.
For special occasions, serve the rice garnished with sultanas and cashews
or slivered almonds that have been fried until golden.
Note: Thin coconut milk refers to the second extract if you are making
coconut milk from scratch, but may be approximated by diluting canned
coconut milk with an equal amount of water or even more than an equal
amount if the canned milk is very thick. It is preferable to use diluted coconut
milk since it is very high in saturated fat.
57
Chilli Crab
Malaysia and Singapore vie with each other for the best crab dishes, and often
import live crabs from Sri Lanka, a fact they proudly advertise outside the
restaurants. A chef dispatches the live crustaceans only when customers order
the signature dish and are sitting waiting to be served. Chilli crab and black
pepper crab are two famous dishes, with chilli crab perhaps the better known.
This feast requires hands-on participation to reach the sweet flesh.
Serves 4
2 mud crabs or 4 blue swimmer crabs
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
3 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) tomato sauce (ketchup)
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) chilli sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 teaspoons salted black beans (optional)
1 egg, beaten
Wash the crabs, scrubbing away any mossy patches on the shell. Put the
point of a knife under the ‘apron’, which is on the underside of the crab,
twist slightly and pull away the dark stomach portion. Discard. Remove the
carapace (hard top shell) as well as the gills, the feathery grey tissue known
as ‘dead men’s fingers’. Use a heavy chopper to cut the crab into halves or
quarters. Crack the claws so the flesh is easier to get at.
Heat the oil in a wok until very hot. Fry the crab pieces, a few at a time,
until they change colour, turning them in the oil. Remove each lot as they
turn red. When all the crab pieces are fried, turn the heat to low and fry the
ginger, garlic and chillies, stirring, until soft and golden. Add the sauces,
water, sugar, salt and black beans. Return the crab pieces to the wok and let
them simmer in the sauce for 5 minutes, with the lid on. Uncover and dribble
in the beaten egg, toss in the spring onions, and cook without stirring until
58 the egg sets. Serve with steamed rice.
A quick way to cook this dish is to buy cooked crabs and clean them as
described. Then heat a jar of Reuben Solomon’s Singapore Chilli Crab
Paste with an equal amount of water. Add the crab pieces and simmer for
3 minutes or until heated through. Lift the crabs onto a serving platter. Add
the spring onions and slowly pour the beaten egg into the sauce. When it sets,
spoon over the crab and serve.
Hot Prawn Sambal
Sambal Udang Asam
Serves 6
2 teaspoons dried tamarind pulp or 3 tablespoons tamarind purée
4 brown shallots or 1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh galangal or 2 slices galangal in brine
6 fresh red chillies or 2 tablespoons sambal oelek
1 stem lemongrass, white portion only, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons palm sugar or brown sugar
Shell and devein the prawns. If they are large, cut each into 3–4 pieces.
If using dried tamarind, soak in 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) hot water for
10 minutes, then squeeze to dissolve the pulp. Strain and reserve the
liquid, discarding the seeds and fibres.
Pound or blend the shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, chillies and
lemongrass until a paste forms.
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the blended mixture, stirring, until cooked
and fragrant.
Toss in the prawns and stir-fry until opaque. Add the tamarind liquid
and simmer until thick. Stir in the sugar and salt and serve as a piquant
accompaniment to rice and curries.
60
Stir-fried Prawns in Shells
There is a well-patronised restaurant in Singapore that offers only three
specialties. This is one of them. All the ingredients may be prepared ahead
of time, leaving only the quick cooking to be done just before serving.
Serves 4–6
750 g (1½ lb) large tiger prawns
3 red chillies, seeded and sliced
4 slices ginger, finely shredded
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
Sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese wine
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
The prawns should have the sandy tract removed, and it is possible to do this
while leaving the shells on. Make a small incision in the prawn above the tail
segment. From just below the head, grasp the other end of the sandy tract and
carefully draw out the whole length. Rinse the prawns briefly in cold water,
then dry them well on kitchen paper.
To make the Sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, stirring to
dissolve the sugar.
Heat a wok, add the oil and when very hot add the prawns and stir-fry on
high heat until they turn red. Push the prawns to the side of the wok, toss in
the spring onions, chillies, ginger and garlic and continue to stir-fry for less
than a minute. Add the sauce ingredients and toss everything together for a
further minute, then serve at once.
61
Chicken in Coconut Milk
Serves 6
1.5 kg (3 lb) chicken thigh cutlets and drumsticks
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
1 tablespoon pounded galangal, fresh or in brine
1 tablespoon finely grated candle (kemiri) nuts or macadamias
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons oil
3 brown onions, finely sliced
1 stem lemongrass, whole, bruised
1 small cinnamon quill
juice of ½ lime or 2 teaspoons tamarind purée
Put the chicken pieces into a bowl.
Make a mixture of the garlic, ginger, galangal, nuts, coriander, cumin,
fennel, salt and pepper. Mix in just enough oil to give the spices a spreadable
consistency and rub over the chicken. Cover and set aside for 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan and fry the onions slowly until they
become golden brown. This will take some time, and they should be stirred
frequently so they cook evenly. Lift out on a slotted spoon and set aside. Add
a little extra oil to the pan if necessary and fry the chicken pieces on medium
heat until they are golden on all sides.
Shake the can of coconut milk well before opening. Dilute half the coconut
milk with 300 ml (10 fl oz) water and pour over the chicken. Add the
lemongrass and cinnamon. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce
the heat and cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
Add the remaining coconut milk, stir well and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Do not cover the chicken at any stage. Stir in the lime juice or tamarind. Taste
and see if extra salt is needed. Before serving, remove the cinnamon stick and
lemongrass. Garnish with the reserved fried onions. Serve with white rice,
vegetables and sambals.
62
Balinese-style Fried Chicken
Serves 6
2 small spatchcock
peanut oil for frying
2 brown onions, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic
4–6 hot red chillies, sliced
6 candle (kemiri) nuts or macadamias, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce (ketjap manis)
1 teaspoon salt
Cut the spatchcock into quarters and dry well on paper towels.
Heat the peanut oil in a wok or heavy frying pan and fry a few pieces of
chicken at a time until nicely browned. Remove from the pan as they are
done, and drain on absorbent paper.
In a blender purée the onions, garlic, ginger, chillies, nuts and soy sauce.
If necessary add a little oil to facilitate blending.
Pour off the oil from the wok or frying pan, leaving only 1–2 tablespoons.
Fry the blended mixture, stirring constantly, until it is fragrant. Add sugar,
lime juice, salt and coconut milk, stirring until the mixture comes to the boil.
Return the chicken pieces and simmer uncovered until the chicken is tender
and gravy reduced. Serve with Coconut Rice (see page 56) or Spicy Yellow
Rice (see page 57) and other accompaniments.
63
Beef Rendang
I have used this recipe so often that the page in my kitchen copy of the
Complete Asian Cookbook is bespattered and stained. Now, however, I simply
use my Rendang Curry Paste since it contains all the ingredients that
contribute to the spicy flavour. This dish needs long simmering. It keeps well,
so it is a good idea to make more than you need for a meal and refrigerate the
rest for a week or freeze for longer periods.
Serves 10–12
2 kg (4 lb) stewing steak
1 teaspoon ground aromatic ginger (kencur)
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) tamarind liquid
Paste
2 brown onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
6–8 fresh red chillies, seeded and sliced
2 stems fresh lemongrass, white portion only, finely sliced
1 tablespoon chopped galangal, fresh or in brine
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
3 teaspoons chilli powder or to taste
Cut the beef into strips about 3 cm (1¼ in) wide and 6 cm (2½ in) long and
put into a large saucepan.
To make the Paste, blend the onions, garlic, ginger, chillies, lemongrass,
galangal and water until smooth. Pour into a saucepan together with the
coconut milk, salt, ground spices and ground aromatic ginger.
Stir while bringing to the boil, then reduce the heat, add the tamarind
liquid and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours or more. When the beef is tender
64 and the oil separates from the gravy, add the sugar and stir constantly, letting
the meat fry in the oily gravy until it is a dark brown.
Serve with rice, vegetables and sambals.
You can use Charmaine Solomon’s Rendang Curry Paste to save making
the Paste yourself—just add 1 can (560 ml/19 fl oz) coconut milk to the
paste. Use 6 tablespoons paste to 2 kg (4 lb) meat.
Greens with Shrimp Paste
The favourite green vegetable throughout Asia is probably water convolvulus,
probably better known in Malay as kangkung or in Chinese as oong choy. It
can be steamed like spinach or simmered in coconut milk, but more likely
it will be combined with the flavours of the region, including the ubiquitous
shrimp paste.
Serves 4
1 kg (2 lb) water spinach or other leafy greens
1 brown onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic
2 red chillies, finely chopped
salt
2 teaspoons sugar
Wash the greens thoroughly. Discard the bottom end of the stems, which
could be tough. Cut the rest into short lengths, about 5 cm (2 in).
Wrap the shrimp paste in foil and grill for about 2 minutes on each side.
Put the dried shrimp in a blender and blend on high speed until they are
reduced to a floss. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, chillies and a little oil or
water to make blending easier, and blend until combined.
Heat the oil in a wok and fry the paste, stirring, until it smells fragrant.
Then add the shrimp paste and crush with spoon, then add 125 ml (4 fl oz/
½ cup) water and dissolve. Toss in the green vegetable, cover and steam for
3 minutes or until it is tender. Season to taste with salt and sugar, mixing
well. Serve with rice and curries.
65
Vegetables in Coconut Milk
Sayur Lodeh
A useful recipe for any vegetable in season. Pumpkin, beans, broccoli,
cabbage, zucchini and snow peas may be used singly or in combination,
adding them according to the time required for them to become tender.
Serves 6
500 g (1 lb) vegetables
1 onion, finely chopped
1 fresh red or green chilli, seeded
500 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) coconut milk
salt
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
Cut the large vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion until soft and golden.
Add the garlic, chilli and shrimp paste and fry on low heat, crushing the
shrimp paste with the spoon. Add the lemongrass, stock and coconut milk.
Simmer uncovered for a few minutes, then add vegetables and cook until
tender. Add salt to taste. Stir in the lime juice and serve hot with rice and
other dishes.
66
Moulded Sago Pudding
Gula Melaka
People either love sago or hate it, but even the most reluctant person with
memories of ‘nursery food’ will agree that when served like this, with coconut
milk and palm honey, it is a dessert that finishes off a hot, spicy meal to
perfection.
Serves 6–8
2.5 litres (5 pints/10 cups) water
300 g (10 oz) sago
2 tablespoons fresh milk
250 ml (8 fl oz) palm honey or 250 g (8 oz) palm sugar (gula melaka)
¼ teaspoon salt
Bring the water to a rolling boil and slowly add the sago. Boil uncovered for
7–10 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover the pan tightly and let it sit for
10 minutes. The grains of sago should be clear at the end of this time,
otherwise leave for a while longer. Run cold water into the pan, stir well and
pour the sago into a sieve, shaking the sieve so the water runs out. Pour the
sago into a bowl and stir in the milk. This takes away the grey colour that
makes sago unappetising. Pour into a serving dish or individual dishes and
refrigerate.
If you cannot find palm honey, chop the palm sugar into small pieces and
heat gently with 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) water. When dissolved, strain through
a fine sieve (a tea strainer is ideal) to remove any impurities.
Stir the salt into the coconut milk to bring out the flavour.
Serve the sago pudding with the palm honey or palm sugar syrup and
coconut milk at room temperature—chilling will solidify the fat.
68
Black Rice Porridge
Pulut Hitam
A favourite sweet in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, served warm
like porridge, with a splash of coconut milk. The rice itself has a subtle
fragrance, but add a slice of ginger or strip of fresh pandan leaf when
simmering, if you like. Nonyas add dried longans when cooking the rice.
Serves 6–8
1 cup black glutinous rice
60 g (2 oz) palm sugar, chopped
3 tablespoons brown sugar
5 slices ginger or 20 cm (8 in) strip pandan leaf or 20 dried longans
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) thick coconut milk
¼ teaspoon salt
Wash the rice in several changes of cold water and drain well. Put into a
saucepan with the water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for
30 minutes. Add both kinds of sugar and the ginger, pandan or longan—
whatever you choose to flavour the porridge. Cook until the rice grains are
very tender, about 40 minutes. Stir now and then to prevent rice sticking to
the bottom of the pan, and add more boiling water if the porridge becomes
too thick.
Serve warm, with a little lightly salted coconut milk poured over.
69
India and Sri Lanka
The aromas and spicy flavours of pantry. Any vegetable oil may be
the Indian sub-continent and its used, except perhaps strongly fruity
neighbour, Sri Lanka, are very virgin olive oil with its distinctive
similar, though there are differences flavour, which would be at variance
which give each their individuality. with the flavours of Asia. In dishes
In India alone, there are such as Butter Chicken (see page
distinctions between the food of 97), it would be ridiculous not to use
north and south, east and west. clarified butter (ghee) or butter. But
Generally, northern food is not as instead of using all ghee or butter
hot or pungent, but certainly richer with its in-built saturated fat, I use a
because it is cooked in ghee. It is proportion of it for giving the right
often the cooking medium that flavour, mixed with pure olive oil or
makes the flavour difference in the light olive oil. Since I don’t really
food of India’s many regions. There care for the flavour of coconut oil,
is no mistaking whether a dish has nor the fact that it is highly saturated
been cooked in mustard seed oil, a (as is palm oil), I use canola, peanut,
favourite in eastern India; in coconut grapeseed or sunflower oil. I avoid
oil in South India and Sri Lanka; or blended oils because I don’t know
in ghee, favoured in central and what is in them exactly. Even the
north India. Peanut oil is also used,
mainly in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
most assiduous reader of labels
doesn’t always find the information
71
Since it is nearly odourless once sought.
refined, it can be used to cook the A large proportion of the
food of any region. population of India and, to a lesser
Don’t get hung up on whether you extent, Sri Lanka, is vegetarian. Their
have the ‘right’ kind of oil in your diet is based on grains, lentils and
vegetables. In India, milk products Hindus will not eat beef, Muslims
such as fresh home-made cheese will not eat pork. Among the
and yoghurt contribute protein. In Christian and Parsi communities
certain areas fish is eaten, being there are no such taboos.
termed ‘fruit of the sea’. Meat and Roti is a general term for Indian
poultry are enjoyed by those whose breads. Chapatis are disks of
religion does not forbid the eating of unleavened bread cooked on a dry
flesh. griddle. Puris are the same disks
North Indians eat lamb, Sri deep-fried in hot oil until puffed and
Lankans eat beef and pork and golden. Parathas are flat bread
sometimes mutton (goat), but lamb layered with ghee. A good substitute
is not raised in the tropics. Lamb is for parathas are wheat tortillas,
very suitable for curries, as its available from the supermarket,
richness is tempered by the spices. heated briefly in a dry frying pan or
Most of the classic North Indian with just a little ghee. Naan is a
dishes such as korma and raan leavened bread. Making naan is a
would not work with another meat. long process, so it’s easiest to buy it
There are many taboos, for both from your local Indian take-away.
religious and aesthetic reasons.
RECOMMENDED PANTRY
Basmati Rice Garam Masala (see page •••)

Black mustard seeds Ghee
Cardamom, whole pods and ground Lentils
Chillies (dried) and chilli powder Mace, ground
Cinnamon quills Maldive fish
Cloves, whole and ground Nigella seeds, whole
Coconut, desiccated Nutmeg, whole
Coconut milk, canned Panch Phora (see page •••)
Coriander seeds, whole and ground Pandan leaves, dried, fresh or frozen
Cumin seeds, whole and ground Peppercorns, black, whole
Curry leaves, dried Saffron, whole strands and ground
Fennel seeds, whole and ground Tamarind pulp, dried
Fenugreek seeds, whole and ground Turmeric, ground
72
Pepper Water
Rasam
Sipped at the end of a meal or spooned over rice, this soup is a digestive,
much prized by those who enjoy South Indian food.
Serves 4
1 tablespoon tamarind pulp or 3 tablespoons tamarind purée
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) hot water
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 litre (2 pints/4 cups) cold water
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
a sprig of fresh curry leaves
Put the tamarind pulp in a bowl, pour over the hot water and leave for
10 minutes to soften. Squeeze to dissolve the pulp in the water, strain and
discard the seeds and fibres. If using tamarind purée or instant tamarind, stir
into 250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) hot water to dissolve.
In a non-aluminium saucepan put the tamarind liquid, garlic, pepper,
cumin, cold water, salt and coriander. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat
down and simmer for 10 minutes.
In a small saucepan heat the oil and fry mustard seeds and curry leaves
until the seeds pop and the leaves are brown. Add to the simmering soup and
serve.
73
Mulligatawny
Who has not heard of mulligatawny, that derivation of a simple South Indian
digestive soup that has been adapted to become something far richer and
more robust? Mulligatawny, as Europeans know it, is a hybrid dish. It is the
Anglo-Indian version of a very simple soup known as ‘pepper water’. (In the
Tamil language, molagu means pepper and thanni means water.) The
colonising British would not have enjoyed pepper water in its original form.
The cooks in their employ (who were brilliant at adapting dishes to suit their
masters’ tastebuds) added meat or chicken, the richness of coconut milk and
onions or shallots fried in ghee as a final finishing touch.
Going one step further, grand hotels in the sub-continent and
neighbouring lands adopted the ‘curry tiffin’—a long and leisurely lunch
starting with mulligatawny. The soup can be based on chicken, beef or
mutton, variations which would have horrified the vegetarian originators. As
served to Europeans, often there was a mound of rice ladled into the middle
of the soup plate that held the mulligatawny. Not content with that, some
cooks offered side dishes of quartered hard-boiled eggs, fresh grated coconut,
lime wedges and crumbled fried bacon. Truly a case of gilding the lily, and a
far cry from what ‘pepper water’ started out to be, but there is no denying its
popularity.
Serves 6–8
1 kg (2 lb) gravy beef or best end of lamb neck
1 kg (2 lb) soup bones
1 large onion, stuck with 4 cloves
3 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
4 slices fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
6–8 cardamom pods, bruised
2 tablespoons coriander seeds or ground coriander
1 tablespoon cumin seeds or ground cumin
½ teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon dried tamarind pulp
74
Tempering
1 tablespoon ghee
4 shallots or 2 small onions, finely sliced
½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
a sprig of fresh curry leaves (about 12)
a squeeze of lime or lemon juice (optional)
Put the beef and soup bones into a large saucepan with sufficient cold water
to cover. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, spices, salt and tamarind pulp. Bring to
the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 2 hours, skimming
from time to time. The meat should be tender and the liquid reduced. Cool
slightly, remove the meat from the stock and finely dice. Set aside. Pour the
stock through a fine strainer and discard the spices. There should be about
1.5 litres (3 pint/6 cups) stock.
Finishing the mulligatawny is a process known as ‘tempering’. Heat the
ghee and fry the shallots until a dark golden brown. Add the mustard seeds
and curry leaves and fry for a minute or two longer. Pour the hot stock into
the pan, taking care because it will sputter. Simmer for 5 minutes. Just before
serving, stir in the coconut milk. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and,
if liked, a good squeeze of lime or lemon juice.
Return the diced meat to the pan and heat through without boiling. Serve
hot.
75
Spiced Rice and Lentils
Kitchri
‘Kedgeree’ is the perfect example of British–Indian food. It appears on
breakfast tables, with flaked smoked fish and hard-boiled eggs added. The
original dish is kitchri, one of the most popular home-style dishes in the
Indian sub-continent—a well balanced, complete meal of delicately spiced rice
and lentils. While some families prefer plain steamed rice served with a
separate dish of lentils (Dhal, see page 77) kitchri needs only a little yoghurt
and perhaps a spoonful of chutney to accompany it.
Serves 4–6
1½ cups long-grain rice, preferably basmati
1 cup red lentils
2 tablespoons ghee or oil
2 medium-sized onions, finely sliced
1 cinnamon quill
5 whole green cardamom pods, bruised
5 whole cloves
few whole black peppercorns
825 ml (27 fl oz/3½ cups) hot water
2 teaspoons salt
Wash the rice and drain well for at least 30 minutes. Wash the lentils well and
drain thoroughly.
Heat the ghee in a saucepan and fry the onions on medium heat
until golden brown. Remove and reserve two-thirds of the fried onion
for garnishing the finished dish.
Add the rice, lentils and whole spices to the onions in the pan and fry,
stirring, for 2–3 minutes. Add the hot water and salt, bring to the boil, then
cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Turn off the
heat and leave the pan covered for a further 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a
fork, remove the whole spices and serve the kitchri garnished with fried onion
and accompanied by fruit chutney and a bowl of thick yoghurt or Cucumber
Raita (see page 89).
76
Dhal
The ever-present lentil purée served with rice or chapatis may be made with
many different kinds of lentils, but the common and easily available red lentil
is perhaps the most popular because it is quick to cook. Other types of lentils
should be soaked for a few hours before cooking.
Serves 6
250 g (8 oz) red lentils
2 large onions, finely sliced
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
750 ml (24 fl oz/3 cups) hot water
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Garam Masala (see page 168)
Wash the lentils well in several changes of cold water, discarding any that
float. Drain the lentils in a sieve.
In a heavy saucepan heat the ghee and fry the onions until golden brown.
Remove half the onions and set aside for garnish. Add the garlic and ginger
and fry a few seconds longer. Add the turmeric and stir, then add the lentils
and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the hot water and bring to the boil. Turn
the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are half
cooked. Add salt and garam masala, mix well and cook until the lentils are
soft and puréed. If the mixture is too liquid, cook uncovered to evaporate
some of the water. Serve garnished with the reserved fried onions.
77
Vegetable and Lentil Soup
Sambar
If you go to an Indian vegetarian restaurant, chances are you will be served a
small bowl of this vegetable and lentil soup with whatever you order—
steamed lentil dumplings, crisp lentil pancakes or simply with rice and
vegetable curries. You don’t ask for it—it appears, magically, on your banana
leaf platter or metal tray.
Serves 6
1 cup split peas or red lentils
1.5 litres (3 pints/6 cups) water
1 tablespoon tamarind pulp or instant tamarind
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) hot water
2 tablespoons oil
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
a pinch of chilli powder
¼ teaspoon asafoetida
3 cups mixed diced vegetables
2 fresh green chillies, seeded and sliced
½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 small onion, finely sliced
Wash the lentils and soak overnight or for at least 2 hours. Drain and cook
with the measured water, simmering until soft.
Put the tamarind pulp in a bowl, pour over the hot water and leave for 10
minutes to soften. Squeeze to dissolve the pulp in the water, strain and
discard the seeds and fibres. If using tamarind purée or instant tamarind, stir
into 250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) hot water to dissolve. Add the tamarind liquid to
the lentils.
In another pan large enough to hold all the lentils, heat 1 tablespoon oil and
fry the ground spices and asafoetida on low heat, stirring, for 1–2 minutes.
Pour the lentil mixture into this pan, add the vegetables and chillies and
78 simmer until the vegetables are cooked. Season with salt.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan and fry the
mustard seeds and onions until the seeds pop and the onion is brown. Add to
the soup, simmer a few minutes longer and serve. Sambar should be fairly
thick, with a pronounced sour and hot flavour.
Biriani: A Festive Dish
Rice is cooked in stock and layered with savoury meat or chicken, making this
a truly wonderful party dish—a meal in one course. Because this dish consists
of three distinct components, each with its mixture of spices, onions, garlic
and ginger, I have taken a short cut by using my easy version of Lamb Korma
(see note on page 99) for the lamb layer. For an even shorter method, skip
making the stock and use some of my Kashmiri Marinade to flavour the rice.
It has no chilli in it, and so is mild and fragrant.
Serves 6–8
1 quantity Lamb Korma (see page 98)
Stock
1.5 kg (3 lb) chicken pieces or 3 lamb shanks
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
6 green cardamom pods
1 onion, stuck with 5 cloves
Spiced Rice
500 g (1 lb) basmati rice
2 medium-sized onions, sliced
¼ teaspoon saffron strands or ⅛ teaspoon powdered saffron
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons salt
¼ cup sultanas
¼ cup fried almonds
80
To make the Stock, simmer the chicken or lamb in a large pan in enough
water to cover with the whole spices, onion and salt for about 2 hours or until
a good strong stock results. Strain the stock and reserve. Remove the meat
from the bones. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and reserve.
Prepare the version of Lamb Korma following the instructions in the note
on page 99.
To make the Spiced Rice, wash the rice well and drain in a colander for
1 hour. Heat the ghee in a heavy saucepan with a well-fitting lid. Fry the
onions until soft and golden, stirring occasionally.
If using saffron strands, toast them for about a minute in a dry pan, taking
care not to let them darken. Turn onto a saucer and when cool and crisp
crush them to powder with the back of a spoon. Add 1 tablespoon hot water to
dissolve.
Add the garlic and ginger to the onions and fry a minute longer. Add
the rice and stir well, then add saffron, 1 litre (2 pints/4 cups) of the hot
stock, garam masala, cardamom and salt. When it comes to the boil stir
in the sultanas, cover with a well-fitting lid and cook on the lowest heat
for 20 minutes. Do not lift lid during this time as it is the steam that cooks
the rice.
Turn off the heat, uncover and allow the steam to escape for 10 minutes.
The chicken or lamb pieces reserved from the stock can now be added to the
rice and gently mixed through.
Transfer one-third of the rice to a buttered ovenproof dish, pressing the
layer down lightly. Spread half the lamb korma over the rice, cover with
another third of the rice and the remaining lamb. Finally, add a third layer of
rice, press down, cover with foil and place in a slow oven, about 150°C
(300°F), for 30 minutes.
To serve, garnish the top of the dish with fried almonds or blanched
pistachios and serve with accompaniments such as cucumbers in sour cream,
chutneys and pappadams.
A short cut to Spiced Rice is to dissolve 2 tablespoons of Charmaine
Solomon’s Kashmiri Marinade in 1 litre (2 pints/4 cups) hot water and
use to cook the rice. Add saffron, salt and sultanas, bring to the boil, cover
tightly and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. The onions, garlic, ginger, garam
masala and ground cardamom are all in the marinade.
81
Peas and Fresh Cheese
Mattar Panir
One of India’s favourite vegetarian curries. I have found from experience that
the best substitute for home-made fresh cheese is baked ricotta. One needs a
firm cheese that will not melt when cooked, but hold its shape. If baked
ricotta is not sold in your neighbourhood deli, bake it yourself. Buy firm, fresh
ricotta (sold by weight in most supermarkets) but allow half as much again,
say 750g – 800g, as it loses weight when the moisture evaporates in baking.
Cut in 2cm ( ¾ in) slices and place them on an oven tray lined with baking
paper. Bake in a moderate oven, 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes. Turn slices
over and bake a further 20 minutes or until firm and tinged with gold.
Serves 6
500 g (1 lb) baked ricotta
2 tablespoons oil or ghee
2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
½ teaspoon chilli powder
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
250 g (8 oz) fresh or frozen peas
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon Garam Masala (see page 168)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or coriander
82
Cut the ricotta into slices about 2 cm (¾ in) thick, and then into cubes.
Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy saucepan and fry the onions, garlic and
ginger over a medium heat, stirring now and then, until the onion starts to
turn golden. Sprinkle in the ground spices and fry, stirring, until the spices
darken slightly and smell fragrant.
Add the tomatoes, peas, salt and garam masala. Cover and simmer until the
tomatoes are cooked to a pulp and the peas are tender. Frozen peas may be
added after the tomatoes are soft, but fresh peas will need longer cooking. If
necessary, add a little water if the mixture becomes too dry. Add the cheese
and simmer for a further 10 minutes, spooning the spicy tomato gravy over
them. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve with steamed rice or Kitchri (see
page 76).
For ease and speed, heat oil or ghee and fry 3 tablespoons Charmaine
Solomon’s Butter Chicken Marinade for 2 minutes. Add 250ml (8 fl oz/
1 cup) tomato purée and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bring to the boil, add 250g (8 oz)
frozen peas, thawed. Simmer 5 minutes, add cubes of ricotta and gently heat
through. Finally stir in 125ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) cream. Garnish with fresh
coriander or mint and serve with rice.
83
Spicy Potatoes
Serves 4 with rice or chapatis
1 teaspoon Panch Phora (see page 170)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
500 g (1 lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 cm (½ in) dice
a few sprigs of fresh mint or coriander, chopped
Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy saucepan and fry the panch phora until
the mustard seeds pop. Add the onion and stir over a medium–low heat until
soft and starting to colour. Add the ground spices and stir, add the potatoes,
mix well and add the water.
Cook on a very low heat, tightly covered, for 20 minutes. Don’t lift
the lid but shake the pan now and then so the potatoes don’t stick. The
potatoes should be soft in this time, but test to make sure.
Sprinkle with the chopped herbs, garam masala, salt and lemon juice. If
necessary add a couple of tablespoons more water, cover and cook for a few
minutes longer. A slight crust may form on the base of the pan, but scrape
this up and mix it with the potatoes.
84
Spicy Stir-fried Cauliflower
Serves 4 as an accompaniment
½ small cauliflower
2 teaspoons Panch Phora (see page 170)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
Slice the cauliflower, keeping some of the stem on each floret.
Heat the oil or ghee in a wok or deep saucepan and add the panch phora,
frying on medium heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and ginger
and stir over low heat until the garlic is golden. Add the turmeric and
cauliflower, stirring well. Add salt and water, cover and cook until the
cauliflower is tender but still crisp, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with
garam masala and coriander.
85
Chickpea Curry
Serves 4 with rice or flat bread
1 cup dried chickpeas (kabuli channa)
2 teaspoons salt
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 fresh green chilli, seeded and sliced
Soak the chickpeas overnight in enough cold water to cover. Drain, rinse and
put the chickpeas with just enough water to cover in a pressure cooker or
heavy saucepan. Cook until half tender, then add the salt and cook until done
but still holding their shape.
Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy saucepan and fry the onions, garlic and
ginger until golden, stirring frequently. Add the turmeric and fry for a few
seconds, then add the garam masala, tomatoes, chilli and half the chopped
mint or coriander. Add the chickpeas and their cooking liquid, stir, cover and
simmer on low heat until the chickpeas are very tender and the tomatoes have
cooked to a purée. Add lemon juice to taste and sprinkle with the remaining
fresh herbs.
86
Samosas
I long ago stopped making pastry to enclose samosas, since frozen spring roll
wrappers available in supermarkets are such a good substitute.
Makes 36
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
2 teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
250 (8 oz) minced lamb or beef
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) hot water
12 sheets spring roll pastry, 215 mm (8 in) square
oil for frying
Heat the ghee or oil in a saucepan and on gentle heat fry the garlic, ginger
and half the chopped onions until the onion is soft. Add curry powder, salt
and lemon juice. Add the mince and fry over high heat until the meat is no
longer pink. Add hot water, lower the heat, cover and cook until the meat is
tender and all the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and allow the
filling to cool. Sprinkle with garam masala, chopped herbs and the remaining
onion and mix through.
Allow the spring roll pastry to thaw while preparing the filling. Separate 12
sheets, return the rest to the packet and freeze. With a sharp knife cut the
square into 3 equal strips. Put a spoonful of filling at one end and fold one
corner of the pastry over diagonally. Fold again, still keeping a triangular
shape and lining up the edges so that the filling is completely enclosed.
Moisten the end of the strip with water or a mixture of flour and water and
press lightly to seal.
Heat the oil in a deep pan (a wok is ideal) and when very hot, fry no more
than about 5 at a time, turning, until golden brown all over. Lift out on a
slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper. Serve warm or at room
temperature. Serve with Mint Chutney (see page 88).
Vegetable Samosas
87
Peel 2 large potatoes and cut into 1 cm (¾ in) dice. Drop into boiling salted
water with 1 teaspoon turmeric and cook until the potato is soft but still holds
its shape. Drain, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon Garam
Masala (see page 168) and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Allow to cool and mix
in 1 finely chopped onion. Proceed as for meat samosas.
Chutneys, Sambals
and Raitas
Mint or Coriander Chutney
A great dip for Samosas (see page 87).
1 cup firmly packed mint or coriander leaves
2 fresh green chillies, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
Blend all ingredients to a purée. Serve as is, or mix with a little natural
yoghurt if a lighter dip is preferred.
Coconut and Herb Chutney

1 cup desiccated or freshly grated coconut
4 spring onions or 1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup lime or lemon juice
½ cup mint or coriander leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ghee or oil
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
If using desiccated coconut put into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons
water or sufficient to moisten all the coconut. Put the onions, lime or lemon
juice and fresh herbs into the blender and liquidise. Add salt and coconut and
blend again to make a thick puree.
Heat ghee or oil in a small pan and fry the mustard and cumin seeds,
stirring, until mustard seeds pop. Pour over the coconut mixture and mix with
a spoon. Serve in a small dish as an accompaniment.
88
Cucumber Raita
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon salt
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) natural yoghurt
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) light sour cream
2 teaspoons finely shredded mint leaves
1 seedless cucumber, finely sliced
Crush the garlic with the salt using the flat of a knife on a wooden board,
until a smooth paste forms. In a bowl mix together the yoghurt, sour cream,
ginger, garlic and mint leaves. Finally stir in the cucumber. Serve chilled, as
an accompaniment to a hot curry.
Banana Raita
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon salt
a good pinch of chilli powder
1 teaspoon ghee or oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
375 ml (12 fl oz/1½ cups) natural yoghurt
2 cups sliced bananas (about 3 large ripe bananas)
Stir together the lemon juice, sugar, salt and chilli powder.
Heat the ghee or oil and fry the cumin and black mustard seeds.
When the mustard seeds pop, pour over the yoghurt and mix. Fold in the
bananas and the lemon juice mixture. If liked, 3 tablespoons freshly
grated coconut or desiccated coconut may be added to the raita. Serve with
rice and curries.
Onion Sambal
2 small onions, finely sliced
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
½ teaspoon salt
Toss all the ingredients together in a bowl until well mixed. Serve with a curry
meal or with Tandoori-style Chicken (see page 95).
89
Coconut Sambal
A favourite in Sri Lanka.
2 cups grated fresh coconut
1 scant teaspoon salt
1 scant teaspoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
2 teaspoons maldive fish, finely pounded (if available)
Combine all the ingredients. For seasoned chilli eaters the amount of chilli
powder may be increased. Mix well. Add finely pounded maldive fish if using.
Serve with rice and curries.
Chilli and Dried Prawn Sambal

A popular accompaniment to rice and curry meals in Sri Lanka.
½ cup vegetable oil
4 medium onions, finely sliced
60g (2 oz) dried shrimp or maldive fish, ground in blender
or 1 x 160g (5 ½ oz) can ‘minced prawns in spices’
3 tablespoons tamarind pulp
3 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Heat oil in heavy frying pan and fry onions on low heat, stirring now and
then, until soft and transparent. When onion is golden brown add chilli
powder and the dried shrimp or maldive fish, or canned prawns in spices.
Add tamarind pulp, water and salt. Stir well, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Uncover and cook until liquid evaporates and mixture is thick. Stir in sugar
and cool. Store in a glass jar and use in small quantities as a relish.
Note: Maldive fish is a type of bonito which is cured and sundried until very
hard. It keeps indefinitely and is pounded into small fragments which are an
important flavouring in Sri Lankan dishes.
90
Spicy Scrambled Eggs,
Parsi Style
Serves 4
6 eggs
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) milk
2 tablespoons ghee or butter
2–3 fresh green or red chillies, seeded and chopped
a big pinch of turmeric
1 ripe tomato, finely diced (optional)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
tomato wedges (optional)
fresh coriander sprigs (optional)
Beat the eggs until well mixed. Stir in the milk, salt and pepper.
Heat the ghee or butter in a large frying pan and cook the spring onions,
chillies and ginger until soft. Add the turmeric, coriander, diced tomato, if
using, and cumin and fry for 1–2 minutes, then stir in the egg mixture. Cook
over a low heat, stirring and lifting the eggs as they set on the bottom of the
pan, stopping when the mixture is still of a creamy consistency. Turn onto a
serving plate and garnish, if liked, with tomato wedges and sprigs of fresh
coriander. Delicious with freshly cooked chapatis or puris, but equally good on
freshly made hot toast.
91
Fish with Green Chutney
Patrani Machchi
Fillets of fish are coated with green chutney and wrapped in banana
leaves before cooking. Served in the banana leaf parcel, it is featured at Parsi
weddings and is an impressive way to serve fish at a dinner party.
Serves 6
1 kg (2 lb) boneless fillets of firm white fish
salt
banana leaves cut into large squares
lime wedges
Green Chutney
juice of 2 limes or 1 lemon
½ cup chopped onion
2 cups chopped fresh coriander leaves
½ cup chopped fresh mint
4 large green chillies, seeded and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup grated fresh coconut or ¼ cup desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon salt
Wash the fish fillets and dry on kitchen paper, then sprinkle lightly with salt
and cut into serving pieces. Set aside while preparing the chutney.
To make the Green Chutney, put all the ingredients into a blender. It helps
if the onions and lime juice go in first, since the blades need liquid to draw
the ingredients down. Add a little water if necessary and blend to a purée, but
do not make the purée too wet. (If using desiccated coconut, first moisten by
sprinkling with a little water and mix lightly with fingertips.)
Fry the green chutney on low heat in ghee or oil until fragrant. When cool,
spread on both sides of the fish fillet pieces.
To prevent the banana leaf splitting, pass it over a gas flame or put it under
92 an electric grill until it becomes pliable. Wrap each serving of fish securely in
a piece of banana leaf, fasten with wooden toothpicks and steam over gently
simmering water for 30 minutes.
Or the banana-leaf parcels can be shallow-fried in just enough oil
to cover the base of a heavy frying pan. Allow about 7 minutes for each side,
depending on the thickness of the fish.
Serve with lime wedges. Diners unwrap the banana leaf before eating.
Spicy Clams
If clams are not available, use mussels. Discard any mussels that are not
tightly closed when purchased, and any that do not open during cooking.
Serves 4
1 kg (2 lb) clams or mussels
3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon salt
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves
lime or lemon juice to taste
Swish the clams in water to lose any sand they may have retained. If using
mussels, scrub and beard them.
Heat the ghee in a large, deep pan and fry the onions, garlic and ginger on
medium heat until the onions are soft and golden. Add the chillies, turmeric,
coriander and stir for a few minutes. Add salt and water and bring to the boil.
Cover the pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the clams or mussels, cover
and steam for 10 minutes or until the shells have opened. Remove from the
heat and sprinkle in the coriander. Add extra salt if required, and a good
squeeze of lime or lemon juice. Spoon the spicy sauce over and serve at once
with steamed rice.
94
Tandoori-style Chicken
In Indian restaurants the chicken comes out bright orange-red. No artificial
colouring is used in my recipe.
Serves 4
2 spatchcock, about 500 g (1 lb) each
2 tablespoons ghee (if cooking in oven)
Marinade
175 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) natural yoghurt
1½ teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons crushed garlic
1½ teaspoons finely grated ginger
½ teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon Garam Masala (page 168)
¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon ground fenugreek leaves
3 teaspoons paprika
juice of 1 lime
With a sharp knife cut through the skin of the chicken right down the centre,
front and back. Skin the chickens, then make slits in the flesh to allow the
spices to penetrate.
To make the Marinade, combine the yoghurt with all the other ingredients.
Rub the marinade all over as well as inside the chickens and leave for 2 hours
or cover and refrigerate overnight.
A barbecue with a cover is the next best thing to a tandoor, which is a clay
oven heated by charcoal. Make sure the fire has burned down to glowing
coals. Place the chickens on a rack above the coals and cook until tender,
turning them so they cook on all sides. If more convenient for your kind of
barbecue, cut the chickens in half lengthways before cooking.
They may also be cooked in a hot oven at 200°C (400°F). Melt the ghee in a
roasting pan, put the 2 chickens in the pan, side by side, breasts downwards.
Brush with the melted ghee and roast for 20 minutes. Turn the chickens on
one side and roast for another 15 minutes, then turn them on the other side
and roast for a further 15 minutes. For the final 10 minutes turn them breast
95
upwards and baste after 5 minutes. If your barbecue or oven has a rotisserie
they may be roasted on this, but remember to baste as the skin has been
removed. Serve hot with parathas or naan and Onion Sambal (see page 89).
You can use my bottled Tandoori Tikka Marinade, which contains all the
Marinade ingredients listed above except yoghurt.
Saffron Chicken
Simple to prepare and with such superb flavour, this is one of my favourite
chicken dishes. It is typical of North Indian cooking. Be sure you purchase the
saffron from a reputable supplier, since there are many yellow powders and
bright orange strands labelled saffron which are not. Some cooks soak the
saffron strands in hot milk or hot water and add them whole, but I think the
method I have described below diffuses the flavour more evenly.
Serves 4–5
1.5 kg (3 lb) roasting chicken
3 tablespoons ghee
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 fresh red chillies, seeded and sliced
½ teaspoon saffron strands or ¼ teaspoon ground saffron
1½ teaspoons salt or to taste
Cut the chicken into small serving pieces: divide the breast into quarters,
separate thighs from drumsticks and disjoint the wings.
Heat the ghee in a heavy saucepan and cook the onion, garlic, ginger and
chillies on low heat, stirring frequently, until the onion starts to turn golden.
Heat the saffron strands in a small dry pan for about 1 minute, shaking the
pan or stirring so that they don’t darken. Turn onto a saucer to cool and crisp,
then crush with the back of a spoon. Dissolve in 1 tablespoon boiling water.
Add to the pan with the cardamom and stir well, then add the chicken pieces.
Turn the chicken pieces for 5 minutes or until each is coated with the saffron
mixture. Add salt, cover and cook over moderate heat for 15 minutes or until
the chicken is tender. Uncover the pan and continue cooking until most of the
liquid evaporates. Serve with parathas or rice.
96
Butter Chicken
Murgh Makhani
For this dish, you’re supposed to first prepare tandoori chicken and make sure
there is enough left over for this equally popular chicken cooked in a saffron-
scented creamy sauce. This is a simple method and just as good.
Serves 6 with rice
Marinade
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
3 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons Garam Masala (page 168)
½ teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
1½ tablespoons paprika
juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon saffron strands or ¼ teaspoon saffron powder
6 chicken thigh cutlets (bone in, skin on) or 750 g (1½ lb) thigh fillets, diced
3 tablespoons ghee or butter
4 tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) tomato purée
2 teaspoons sugar
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) cream
fresh coriander sprigs
To make the Marinade, combine all the ingredients.
Rub over the chicken thighs or fillets. Cover and leave for at least 30
minutes.
Heat the ghee in a heavy frying pan and brown the joints on both sides, or
fry the diced chicken till no longer pink. Add the tomatoes or tomato purée,
cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through. Add sugar and cream
and stir well. Serve garnished with sprigs of fresh coriander.
Make double or triple quantities of the Marinade and keep it in the 97
refrigerator for up to a month, or use Charmaine Solomon’s Butter
Chicken Marinade, which contains all the ingredients you’ll need. Either way,
use 4 tablespoons for 6 thigh cutlets or 3 tablespoons for 750 g diced fillets.
Proceed from the second line of the method.
Lamb Korma
Here we have the traditional recipe, which is fairly labour intensive if you
make it from start to finish. A much easier modern way to achieve the same
result is to make the Korma Paste beforehand and store it in the refrigerator
in a clean glass jar, or to use my Charmaine Solomon’s Korma Curry Paste.
You save so much preparation time that this recipe becomes easy Lamb
Korma. The details of this alternative method appear on page 99.
Once it is cooked, this dish improves with keeping (in the refrigerator), and
so is ideal for preparing ahead. It is delicious in its own right, sprinkled with
fresh coriander leaves just before serving. It is also the savoury lamb for
Biriyani (see page 80).
A photograph of this dish appears on page 101.
Serves 6 with rice or roti
Korma Paste
2 medium-sized onions
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic
¼ cup blanched almonds or raw cashews
2 dried red chillies, stems and seeds removed
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
½ teaspoon saffron strands or ⅛ teaspoon saffron powder
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 tablespoon ghee
1 kg (2 lb) lamb leg or chump chops, bone left in
2–3 ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
98 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) natural yoghurt
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) cream
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
Make the Korma Paste as follows.
Peel the onions, slice one finely and set aside. Chop the remaining onion
and put in a blender with the ginger, garlic, almonds or cashews and chillis.
Add 125ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) water to the blender, cover and blend on high
speed to form a smooth puree. Add the ground spices and blend.
If using saffron strands, toast them lightly in a dry pan for less than a
minute – they should not darken. Turn onto a saucer to cool and crisp, then
crush to powder with the back of a spoon. Dissolve in boiling water. Add to
blender and combine again.
Heat the ghee and oil in a large saucepan and when hot put in the reserved
sliced onion. Fry, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until soft and
golden. Add the blended mixture and continue to fry, stirring constantly until
the purée is well cooked and the oil starts to separate from the mixture. Rinse
the blender with extra 60ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) water, add to the pan with salt
and fry until the liquid is thick and dry.
If you are not making the Lamb Korma immediately, store this paste in a
clean dry glass jar in the refrigerator.
Cut the lamb chops into pieces and trim off any excess fat. Add the lamb to
the hot Korma Paste and stir over a medium heat until each cube is coated
with spice. Add the tomatoes, cover and cook until the meat is tender.
Combine yoghurt and cream and add to the pan. Stir to ensure the spices
don’t stick to the base of the pan. The sauce should be very thick and smooth.
Sprinkle with fresh coriander.
Make the easy version of Lamb Korma, by making double or triple
quantities of the Korma Paste and keeping it in the refrigerator. You can
also use Charmaine Solomon’s Korma Curry Paste. For 1 kg (2 lb) lamb
forequarter chump chops (bone left in, cubed) use 4 tablespoons Korma
Paste. Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil in a heavy saucepan and fry the meat
until brown, turning so it cooks evenly. Add 300g (10 oz) tomato purée or ripe
tomatoes (peeled, seeded and chopped) and cook until tender, adding a little
water from time to time if necessary. When the meat is soft, and the tomatoes
cooked to a purée, combine 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) yoghurt with 125 ml (4 fl
oz/½ cup) cream and stir into the korma. Cook uncovered until the gravy is
thick and coats the lamb.
Sprinkle with fresh coriander leaves just before serving.
Note: The Korma Paste on page 98, and Charmaine Solomon’s Korma Curry
Paste are both concentrates, not sauces. Please do not substitute another
product and expect the same results.
99
Kofta Curry
One of my favourite Indian dishes, since there is so much flavour in every
bite. Minced lamb is combined with onion, garlic, ginger, chillies and fresh
coriander or mint, formed into koftas (balls), browned and simmered in a
spicy gravy that echoes similar flavours.
Serves 6 with rice
Meatballs
750 g (1 ½ lb) minced lamb
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1½ teaspoons salt
1 fresh red or green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped mint or coriander
Gravy
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon chilli powder or to taste
2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped coriander or mint
To make the Meatballs, mix the lamb thoroughly with all the other
ingredients. Shape into small balls.
To make the Gravy, heat the ghee or oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Brown
the meatballs, remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan fry the
onions, garlic and ginger until soft and golden. Add turmeric, garam masala
and chilli powder. Fry for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, salt and meatballs, cover
and simmer for 25 minutes or until the gravy is thick. Stir in the chopped
100 herbs and lemon juice.
Opposite page: Lamb Korma (see page 98)

Roast Leg of Lamb
Kashmiri Style
Raan
This is an easy dish, but so effective.
Serves 8
1 x 2.5 kg (5 lb) leg of lamb
Marinade
5 cloves garlic
3 level teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon saffron strands or ¼ teaspoon powdered saffron
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons blanched almonds
2 tablespoons blanched pistachios
1 tablespoon honey
102
Remove the skin and any excess fat from the lamb. With the point of a small
knife make deep slits all over the lamb.
To make the Marinade, crush the garlic with salt to form a smooth paste.
Combine with the ginger, ground spices and lemon juice.
Rub the marinade over the lamb and press some into each slit. Put the
lamb in a deep bowl. If using saffron strands, toast them lightly for less than a
minute in a dry pan over low heat, just long enough to dry them. Turn onto a
saucer and leave to cool and crisp, then crush to powder with the back of a
spoon. Dissolve the powder in 1 tablespoon hot water.
Put yoghurt, saffron, almonds and pistachios into a blender and process
until smooth. Spoon the mixture over the lamb. Drizzle the honey over, cover
the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to marinate at least overnight in the
refrigerator, or 2 days if possible.
Preheat the oven to very hot, 230°C (450°F). Transfer the lamb to a baking
dish with a cover and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to
180°C (350°F) and cook for a further 1 hour 45 minutes or until the lamb is
cooked through. Uncover the baking dish and cool to room temperature.
Serve with rice or flat bread. Leftovers make superb sandwiches.
If short on time, a quick solution is to buy a boned and butterflied leg of
lamb, spread it with 2–3 tablespoons Charmaine Solomon’s Kashmiri
Marinade and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cook on a
barbecue or in the oven for about 35 minutes.
103
Goan Pork Vindaloo
This is a cross between a curry and a pickle, and high in acidity. Cook it in a
non-reactive pan. In India this would be an earthenware pot, but enamel or
heavy stainless steel would be a suitable substitute.
Serves 8
8–10 large dried red chillies
2 tablespoons black mustard seeds
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) coconut vinegar or white vinegar
10–15 cloves garlic, peeled
5 cm (2 in) piece of fresh ginger, roughly chopped
1 kg (2 lb) pork, cut into large cubes
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Break the stems off the chillies and shake out the seeds. Soak the chillies and
mustard seeds in vinegar overnight. Put into a blender with the garlic and
ginger. Blend to a purée.
Place the pork in a china bowl and add the blended mixture, ground spices
and salt. Mix thoroughly so all the pieces of pork are coated, and marinate for
2 hours.
Heat the ghee or oil and fry the onions on low heat until soft and golden,
stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. When the oil separates from the
onions, drain the pieces of pork from the marinade and brown them in the
pan. Pour in the marinade, cover and simmer on low heat until the pork is
tender. Stir in the sugar and serve with steamed rice and vegetable
accompaniments.
104
Sri Lanka-style Lentils
Featuring the same main ingredient as the recipe for dhal, but the result is
sufficiently different and worth a try so you can decide which is your
favourite. Instead of water, coconut milk is the cooking medium. The flavours
are different because distinctively flavoured ingredients are added to the
frying onions and cooked along with the lentils.
Serves 6
250 g (8 oz) red lentils
2 large onions, finely sliced
750 ml (24 fl oz/3 cups) thin coconut milk
2 teaspoons pounded maldive fish
1–2 dried chillies
a sprig of curry leaves
5 cm (2 in) strip of pandan leaf
1 stem lemongrass, bruised
1 cinnamon quill
1 teaspoon salt
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) thick coconut milk
Wash the lentils well in several changes of cold water, discarding any that
float. Drain the lentils in a sieve.
In a heavy saucepan heat the ghee and fry the onions until golden brown.
Remove half the onions and set aside for garnish. Add the garlic and ginger
and fry a few seconds longer. Add the turmeric and stir, then add the lentils
and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the thin coconut milk and remaining
ingredients except the salt and thick coconut milk. Bring to the boil. Lower the
heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are half cooked.
Add the salt, mix well and cook until the lentils are soft and puréed. If the
mixture is too liquid, cook uncovered to evaporate some of the water. After
cooking add the thick coconut milk. This lentil dish should have a rather wet
consistency. Serve garnished with the reserved fried onions.
105
Ghee Rice
Each country has its own special method of cooking rice. In North India, the
most prized rice is basmati, a fragrant, long-grain rice that is cooked on its
own (namkin chawal), or with lentils (kitchri), or in spicy stock (yakhni pilau).
It is always cooked by the absorption method. If basmati rice is not available,
use any long-grain rice. The most important point to watch is the proportion
of rice to liquid. Use the same size measuring cups for both rice and liquid,
and the result will be perfectly cooked rice every time.
In Sri Lanka, basmati rice is not as readily available as it is in India or even
in western countries. If available, it is very expensive. So this dish would most
likely feature muttu samba (translates as ‘pearl samba’) a tiny, round grain
that, like basmati, offers the quality of fluffy, separate rice.
Serves 4–6
500 g (1 lb/2 ½ cups) basmati or other long grain rice
1 onion, finely sliced
1 cinnamon quill
6 green cardamom pods, bruised
6 whole cloves
1 litre (2 pints/4 cups) hot stock or water
2 teaspoons salt (if stock is unsalted)
Wash the rice well and drain in a sieve for about 30 minutes.
Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy saucepan and fry the onion until golden
brown. Add the spices and well-drained rice, stirring with a slotted metal
spoon, about 3 minutes or until all the grains are coated with ghee.
Add the hot stock and salt, and bring quickly to the boil. Cover the
pan with a tight-fitting lid and turn the heat as low as possible. Cook for
15–20 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring. Turn off the heat and leave
covered for a further 5 minutes. Then remove the lid to allow steam to escape
for a few minutes and fluff the rice with a fork. Remove the whole spices.
The rice may be kept warm in the same pot, covered, for 1 hour. Serve with
a metal spoon that won’t crush the grains.
If using a rice cooker, there are a few things to consider. Some brands say
you can fry the spices on ‘cook’ mode, so fry the onions, spices and rice as per
the saucepan method. If the pan has a non-stick surface, there is the
106 likelihood of scratching it, so be sure to use a wooden or plastic spoon to stir.
Read the instructions carefully and don’t do anything you’re not supposed
to—it may invalidate your appliance guarantee.
Note: For plain steamed rice omit the ghee, onion and spices. Use hot water
rather than stock.
Sri Lanka Prawn Curry
A spicy dish based on coconut milk, chillies and spices, the flavours of this
curry will be familiar to those who have experienced Sri Lankan and South
Indian food.
Serves 6 with steamed rice
1 kg (2 lb) raw prawns in their shells
2 medium-sized onions, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons oil
a sprig of fresh curry leaves or 12 dried leaves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground fennel
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 stem lemongrass, bruised
1 strip pandan leaf, about 10 cm (4 in) long
Wash the prawns and remove the hard shell from head but leave the legs and
body shell on. In Sri Lanka and India, prawns are often cooked in their shells
for better flavour.
Soak the chillies in hot water for 15 minutes, then put into a blender with
some of the soaking water and the onions, garlic and ginger. Blend to a purée.
Heat the oil and fry the curry leaves for 30 seconds, then add the puréed
mixture and the ground spices. Fry, stirring, until the mixture develops a good
aroma. Add the salt, lemongrass, pandan leaf and coconut milk and stir while
bringing to a slow boil. Do not cover. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the
prawns and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes longer or until the prawns are
cooked. Taste and add lemon juice to give a piquant flavour.
107
Fish Molee
Seafood cooked in mildly seasoned coconut milk has to be the comfort food of
those who grew up in South India or its neighbouring island of Sri Lanka.
Ideal for those who enjoy flavour but don’t like their food hot or pungent.
Serve a coconut sambal alongside for those who need a chilli fix.
Serves 4–6
750 g (1 ½ lb) firm fish steaks
lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
2 small onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
3 slices fresh ginger, cut into slivers
a large sprig of fresh curry leaves
2 fresh green chillies
500 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) thin coconut milk
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) thick coconut milk
lime juice and salt to taste
Wipe fish steaks with a damp kitchen towel. Sprinkle with lemon juice,
turmeric and salt.
Heat the oil or ghee in a saucepan and on low heat fry the onions, garlic,
ginger, curry leaves and chillies until the onions are soft. Stir frequently and
do not let the ingredients brown. Add the thin coconut milk (dilute canned
coconut milk with an equal amount of water) and stir while it comes to a
simmer. Add the fish and cook slowly, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the
thick (undiluted) coconut milk, stir gently until heated through and remove
from the heat. Add lime juice and salt to taste. Serve with steamed rice.
108
Country Captain
Gentle spicing adds interest to a pot roast and obviously was inspired
by the efforts of native cooks to please their western masters. The name,
however, is strange indeed. It is thought it came from the cooks’ efforts
to say ‘capon’ and, of course, anything cooked with local flavours was
described as ‘country’. This dish turns up in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and
wherever the British colonised.
Serves 6
1.5 kg (3 lb) roasting chicken or chicken joints
2 large cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
a pinch of chilli powder (optional)
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons ghee (or a mixture of ghee and oil)
4 large onions, thinly sliced
2 fresh red chillies, seeded and sliced
If using a whole chicken, remove excess fat from the cavity.
With the flat of a knife on a wooden board, crush the garlic with salt to a
smooth purée. Mix with the ginger, turmeric, pepper, chilli powder and lime
juice. With a sharp skewer prick the skin of the chicken all over and rub with
the mixture. Set aside for 30 minutes, or place in a bowl, cover with plastic
wrap and refrigerate for longer. Do the same if using chicken joints.
Heat the ghee in a heavy pan and fry half the onions, stirring frequently,
until a deep golden brown. Set aside for garnishing the chicken. Fry the
remaining onions and chillies until the onions are lightly browned, adding
more ghee or oil as necessary. Add the chicken and fry until golden, turning
with tongs to brown all over. Add a little water (about 60 ml/2 fl oz/¼ cup)
to the pan, cover and cook over low heat until the chicken is tender. At end
of cooking, uncover the pan and allow the liquid to evaporate. Serve hot,
accompanied by Ghee Rice (see page 106) and garnished with the browned
onions. It goes equally well with parboiled and pan-fried potatoes.
109
Sri Lanka Chicken Curry
Serves 6
1.5 kg (3 lb) roasting chicken or chicken pieces
Spice Mixture
3 tablespoons oil
¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cinnamon quill
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) thick coconut milk
Cut the chicken into ‘curry’ pieces, which means cutting breast and thighs in
half, leaving the wings and drumsticks whole.
Heat the oil and fry the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves until they start to
brown. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and fry on a medium–low heat until
the onions are soft and golden. Add the turmeric, chilli powder, coriander,
cumin, fennel, paprika, salt and vinegar. Stir well.
Add the chicken pieces and stir over a medium heat until the pieces are
thoroughly coated with spices. Add the tomatoes, whole spices and
lemongrass, leaves tied in a knot. Cover and cook on low heat for about 45
minutes. Add the coconut milk, leave the pan uncovered, and taste and correct
the seasoning with salt and a little lemon juice if desired. Remove the
110 lemongrass and serve with Ghee Rice (see page 106) and accompaniments.
A quicker way to make this is to use Charmaine Solomon’s Sri Lanka
Curry Paste instead of the Spice Mixture ingredients. There is no need to
chop onions, garlic and ginger, as they are already in the paste. Even curry
leaves have been added, but if you wanted to add a sprig of these or a short
length of pandan leaf or a stem of lemongrass, all the better.
Dry-fried Pork Curry
In this dish, the pork fries in its own fat. Delicious, but not to be indulged too
often.
Serves 6–8
1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
300 ml (10 fl oz) hot water
1 kg (2 lb) pork belly or meaty spareribs, not too lean
3 tablespoons oil
200 ml (7 fl oz) canned coconut milk
Spices
½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
2.5 cm (1 in) piece fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
4 tablespoons Sri Lanka Curry Powder (see page 169)
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 cinnamon quill
Soak the tamarind pulp in the hot water until cool enough to handle. Squeeze
until all the pulp is dissolved. Strain through a nylon sieve. Discard the seeds
and fibres and reserve the liquid.
Cut the pork into large cubes, keeping any skin and fat on.
Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan and fry the curry leaves and fenugreek
seeds, stirring, until they start to brown. Add the onions and garlic and fry
over a low heat until onion is soft and golden. Add the ginger, curry powder,
chilli powder, salt and vinegar and mix well. Add the pork and fry on high
heat, stirring frequently, until the pork is coated with the spice mixture. Pour
in the tamarind liquid. Add the cinnamon and cardamom. Cover the pan and
cook on gentle heat until the pork is tender, about 1 hour. Add the coconut
milk and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Pour the gravy into another pan, return the first pan with the pork to the
heat and allow to fry in its own fat, stirring and turning the pieces until 111
browned. (If there is not sufficient fat to achieve this, add 1 tablespoon ghee or
oil to help them fry.) Pour the gravy back into the pan and cook, uncovered,
until the gravy is thick and a film of oil covers the surface. Serve hot with
plain steamed rice and vegetable dishes.
Use 4 tablespoons Charmaine Solomon’s Sri Lanka Curry Paste instead
of all the Spice ingredients listed above.
Japan, Korea
and China
These countries of the Far East work well. Korea has its own style of
offer cuisines that are totally soy sauce too, but Japanese soy sauce
individual. Grouping them in one may be used in Korean food.
chapter for geographical convenience The food of Korea is more
will help you discern the differences robustly flavoured, particularly with
and enjoy the popular dishes of each garlic. It also uses a fair amount of
country. chilli paste and dried chilli, though
Japanese food is different from not in every dish. Beef is the
most other cuisines because it favourite meat, and the popular
showcases seasonal ingredients. The bulgogi (marinated tender beef strips
artistic presentation of even the cooked over charcoal) is what most
simplest dish makes it stand apart. Korean restaurants specialise in. The
Flavours are delicate, encouraging an basic flavours of Korean food are
appreciation of food in its most garlic, ginger, black pepper, spring
natural state. Sashimi (raw fish), onions, soy sauce, sesame oil and
which used to cause a shudder toasted sesame seeds.
among westerners, is now A country as vast as China has
appreciated just with its dipping thousands of favourite dishes and
sauce of shoyu (Japanese soy sauce) it is essentially the flavours and
and a touch of wasabi (green
horseradish), and customers are
textures that distinguish them. The
amazing variety of ingredients were
113
prepared to pay high prices for it. probably first used out of sheer
Not any soy sauce will do when necessity and not because of
preparing Japanese food. It must be gourmets seeking out unusual foods.
a Japanese shoyu; a Chinese-style or Only a small proportion of land is
Indonesian-style soy sauce does not arable, so people have learned to
make use of everything edible. Some equal importance. Balance a rich
highly regarded foods are totally dish with a light one and give
devoid of flavour but are prized for vegetables importance, serving them
their texture. Skilful cooking imbues on their own if they are not featured
them with flavour from the season- with meat or seafood. Steamed rice
ings they are combined with. Only is important, the cornerstone of
the recipes one associates with meals every meal.
enjoyed in Chinese restaurants or Fresh ingredients essential in
good home cooking are included each of these cuisines include
here for your enjoyment. ginger, garlic, coriander and spring
Chinese meals do not feature one onions.
main dish, but a number of dishes of
RECOMMENDED PANTRY
Bamboo shoots (preferably winter Oyster sauce

bamboo shoots), canned Peanut oil
Barbecue sauce Pickled ginger (beni shoga)
Black beans, canned Plum sauce
Chilli oil Rice vinegar
Dashi stock (instant) Sesame oil (Oriental variety, made
Dried shiitake mushrooms from toasted sesame seeds and
Dried wood fungus golden brown in colour)
Five-spice powder Sesame seeds (black and white)
Ground bean sauce (mor sze jeung) Short or medium-grain rice
Hoisin sauce Shoyu (Japanese soy sauce)
Korean bean paste (dhwen jang) Soy sauce, dark and light (Chinese)
Korean chilli paste (gochu jang) Sichuan peppercorns (ensure they
Mirin (or dry sherry) do not contain the shiny black
Noodles: Japanese seeds which are gritty when
buckwheat noodles (soba), crushed. The reddish brown
Japanese wheat noodles husks are the fragrant part)
(udon), potato starch noodles, Spring roll wrappers (frozen); if plan-
Chinese egg noodles (dahn ning a yum cha feast, wonton
min), Chinese bean starch pastry (available in the refrigera-
noodles (fun see), Chinese rice tor section of any Asian store)
vermicelli (mi fun) Star anise
Nori (seaweed) sheets Wasabi (powder or paste)
114
Chirashi Sushi
For those who like the flavours of sushi but don’t have the time to shape and
roll it, here’s a solution. Chirashi sushi is similar to a rice salad, with as much
leeway for adding favourite ingredients.
Serves 6
½ cup cooked crabmeat or prawns
125 g (4 oz) raw fish fillet
1 firm, ripe avocado
6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and cooked as for
Rice with Chicken and Mushrooms (see page 120)
2 eggs, beaten
salt
1 tablespoon pickled kombu (kelp) in fine strips
1 tablespoon pickled ginger shreds
1 quantity Sushi Rice (see page 116), cooked and cooled
Pick the crabmeat into shreds or thinly slice the prawns.
With a sharp knife thinly slice the fish.
Halve the avocado, remove the seed, then slice thickly and peel off the skin.
Dice the flesh.
When the mushrooms have been cooked and cooled, slice very finely.
Season the eggs with salt and cook into two thin flat omelettes without
browning either side. Lay the omelettes on a board and shred them into very
fine strips.
Prepare the Sushi Rice according to the instructions on page 116 and cool.
Add all of the ingredients, toss lightly and serve cold.
115
Sushi Rice
Sushi is rice flavoured with mild vinegar and sugar, formed into small pillow
shapes and topped with raw or cooked seafood. Or it may be rolled in a tissue-
thin sheet of nori (laver seaweed) or wrapped in a strip of omelette or fried
bean curd.
In many of the shops at Sydney’s marvellous fish market and increasingly
in suburban shopping centres, one finds small take-away sushi places. There
are also restaurants devoted entirely to sushi, which seem to have become
flavour of the month in many Australian cities. Sushi is not difficult to make
at home. While some of the rolled sushi requires a certain amount of care and
patience and a flexible bamboo mat to help with the rolling, cone-shaped
sushi is easier to form.
Serves 6
500 g (1 lb) short-grain rice
600 ml (20 fl oz/2½ cups) water
5 cm (2 in) piece dried kelp (kombu), optional
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons mirin
2 teaspoons salt
Wash the rice in 3–4 changes of cold water and drain in a colander for
1 hour. In a saucepan put the rice and measured water and the piece of dried
kelp. Bring to the boil, turn the heat to very low and place the pan on a heat
diffuser. Cover with a well-fitting lid and steam for 15 minutes without lifting
the lid. Remove from the heat and leave covered for 10 minutes longer.
Discard the kelp and turn the rice onto a large flat dish.
If preferred, combine all the ingredients in an electric rice cooker.
Mix the remaining ingredients together, stirring until the sugar is
dissolved. Pour over the rice and mix thoroughly. Cool the rice to bring it
quickly to room temperature. The seasoned rice is now ready for making
sushi.
116
Sushi with Raw Fish
Moisten hands with cold water mixed with mild vinegar. Take a rounded
tablespoon of rice and form into a neat oval shape. These should be no more
than two-bite size.
Cut thin slices of very fresh fish that has not been frozen. Spread a thin
smear of wasabi on the fish, then place it, wasabi-side down, on the rice. Serve
as soon as possible.
Cooked and shelled prawns may also be used for a topping: first cut them
almost through the inside curve and spread them so they cover the rice.
Sushi Wrapped in Nori

Toast several sheets of nori on one side, passing them quickly over a gas
flame or under a preheated grill. This takes only a few seconds and intensifies
the flavour.
Lay a sheet of nori on a bamboo mat or clean napkin and spread ½ cup rice
over two-thirds of the sheet. In a row down the centre place strips of raw fish
(smeared lightly with wasabi paste), narrow spears of cucumber, pickled
radish or soaked and cooked dried mushrooms (as in Rice with Chicken and
Mushrooms, see page 120). Roll up using the bamboo mat, enclosing the rice
and filling in the sheet of nori. Squeeze gently to press the rice and filling
together. Leave to rest for 10 minutes, then cut into slices about 2 cm (¾ in)
thick. Arrange on a tray and serve.
For an easier version, make sushi cones. Cut the nori into 12.5 cm (5 in)
squares, curl into cone shapes and fill with sushi rice and one or more of the
fillings.
Note: Fish which is served raw must be impeccably fresh. It is possible to
purchase sashimi-quality fish. Tuna, salmon, bonito, kingfish, bream or
dhufish are all suitable.
117
Raw Fish
Sashimi
To be served raw, fish must be impeccably fresh. It is possible to purchase
special sashimi-quality fish, and while it is expensive, there can be no
compromise. Tuna, salmon, bonito, kingfish, bream or dhufish are all
suitable, provided they have been caught the same day and have not been
frozen. The quantities are for one serve.
Serves 1
125 g (4 oz) fish, skin and bones removed
1 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce (shoyu)
mirin or dry sherry
½ teaspoon prepared wasabi paste
lime juice
1 teaspoon finely sliced spring onions (optional)
1 tablespoon finely shredded white radish (daikon)
a few slices of pickled ginger (beni shoga)
A sharp knife is essential for removing skin from fish and for slicing cleanly.
Handle the fish as little as possible, but make sure there are no bones in it.
Cut the fillet into thin slices and arrange on a serving plate, overlapping the
slices or curving them into flower shapes. Soft-fleshed fish such as tuna and
bonito may be presented in small cubes. Artistic arrangement is part of the
appeal of sashimi.
Place a small dish holding shoyu or a mixture of shoyu and mirin alongside
the fish, and also a small mound of wasabi. To eat, mix the wasabi with the
shoyu for dipping the fish into. If you like, you can add a little lime juice and
spring onions for extra flavour. Garnish the plate with the white radish and
pickled ginger.
Note: Wasabi is also known as Japanese horseradish. Though it is not of the
same family as horseradish it has the same pungency. Wasabi is sold in
powdered form in small tins, and has to be mixed with cold water and allowed
to stand for 10 minutes for its full flavour to develop. Use very sparingly.
Wasabi is also sold ready mixed in tubes.
118
Buckwheat Noodles
Soba
Usually served cold, these noodles make a tasty and light luncheon dish
or snack.
Serves 4
200 g (7 oz) Japanese buckwheat noodles (soba)
2 sheets nori
4 small fish cakes (chikuwa)
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) dashi
3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce (shoyu)
3 tablespoons mirin or dry sherry
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger or wasabi paste
3 spring onions, very finely sliced
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and drop in the noodles. When the water
returns to the boil add 250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) cold water and bring to the boil
again. Cook until the noodles are tender enough to bite—about 2 minutes.
Run cold water into the pan. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water
2–3 times until the noodles are completely cold. Drain well.
Toast the nori briefly over a gas flame on one side only. With scissors, cut
nori into fine strips or small squares.
Cut the fish cakes into thick slices.
Arrange the cold noodles on individual plates. Scatter nori over the noodles
and place slices of fish cake on the side of the plate.
Heat dashi, shoyu and mirin in a small pan. Cool. Pour into individual
sauce dishes. Put small portions of ginger and spring onions on each plate for
seasoning the sauce. Dip noodles into the sauce before eating.
Note: Dashi is a light stock flavoured with dried kelp and flaked bonito.
Instant dashi (powder or liquid) is sold in all Japanese stores.
119
Rice with Chicken
and Mushrooms
Serves 6
500 g (1 lb) short-grain rice
2 tablespoons sugar
500 g (1 lb) chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced
2 eggs, beaten
a pinch of salt
1 cup cooked green peas
Wash the rice and allow it to drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl, pour boiling water over and leave to
soak for 30 minutes or until soft. Save the soaking water, as it retains a lot of
flavour and will be used in cooking. Cut off and discard the mushroom stems.
Put the caps in a small pan with 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) of the soaking water, 2
tablespoons each of the shoyu and mirin, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Bring
to the boil, cover and simmer until the liquid is almost completely evaporated.
Lift out the mushrooms and allow to cool.
In the same pan combine the remaining shoyu, mirin and sugar, and
chicken. Bring to the boil, turn the heat to very low, cover the pan and simmer
for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave covered.
Cook the rice in a rice cooker with 750 ml (24 fl oz/3 cups) water. Or put
the rice into a heavy saucepan with a well-fitting lid, add 750 ml (24 fl oz/
3 cups) water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat as low as possible, cover
the pan and cook for 20 minutes without lifting the lid or stirring.
Beat the eggs with salt and use a lightly greased non-stick frying pan to
make 2–3 large, flat omelettes. Take care not to brown. Turn each onto a flat
plate as they are done. Cut into narrow strips.
When the rice is cooked, spoon into a large casserole or, if you have it,
a Japanese domburi—a decorative earthenware bowl with lid. Spread the
chicken over the rice, and spoon the cooking liquid over. Slice the mushrooms
and place over the chicken, then decorate the dish with egg strips and the
cooked peas. Serve hot.
120
Grilled Chicken with
Teriyaki Marinade
This must be the most universally popular Japanese food—children take to it
with gusto, and adults like the combination of salty and sweet flavours.
Serves 6
6 chicken half-breasts, boned but with the skin on
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons sugar
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) Japanese soy sauce (shoyu)
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) mirin or dry sherry
½ teaspoon sesame oil
If preferred, buy a whole roasting chicken and joint it, then bone the breast,
legs and thighs.
Crush the garlic to a smooth paste with 1 teaspoon of the sugar.
Combine the remaining sugar, shoyu, mirin, garlic, ginger and sesame oil
in a large dish and put the chicken pieces into the marinade, turning so they
are coated. Marinate overnight if convenient, otherwise leave them for at least
1 hour, turning them over twice.
Cook the chicken under a preheated grill or over a barbecue, brushing from
time to time with the marinade. Or preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Oil
a baking dish and place the chicken pieces in it in a single layer. Roast for
15 minutes, then turn the chicken pieces over with tongs and roast for
10 minutes longer. Spoon some of the marinade over the chicken. Lower the
oven to 180°C (350°F) and roast for a further 20 minutes, brushing with
marinade twice during this time. The chicken should be glazed and well
browned. Cut into bite-sized pieces and serve with rice, or on its own as an
appetiser.
Note: Fillet steaks (6 small ones) can be marinated in the same mixture, then
cooked on a hot, lightly oiled griddle. Heat the remaining marinade in a small
pan with 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) water or dashi, and thicken with 1 teaspoon
cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water. Use as a glaze on the steaks.
For eating with chopsticks, slice the steaks and assemble in their original
shape.
121
Sukiyaki
A great dish for table-top cooking. An electric frypan makes a suitable cooking
utensil.
Serves 6
1 kg (2 lb) Scotch fillet or other tender, well-marbled beef
125 g (4 oz) fresh shiitake mushrooms, halved,
or 12 dried shiitake mushrooms
100 g (3 ½ oz) bean thread vermicelli
2 medium-sized white onions, cut into eighths
1 small white Chinese cabbage, sliced
1 small can winter bamboo shoots, drained and thinly sliced
vegetable oil for greasing pan
500 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) beef stock
Japanese soy sauce (shoyu)
sugar
sake
Place the beef in the freezer until semi-frozen so it is easy to slice very thinly.
If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak for 30 minutes in enough hot
water to cover. Drain and add 250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) of the soaking liquid to
the beef stock. (If using fresh mushrooms, just add water.)
Cook the bean thread vermicelli in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain and
cut into short lengths.
Arrange the beef, spring onions, mushrooms, onions, cabbage and bamboo
shoots on a serving platter, with the vermicelli in a bowl. Have the oil, stock,
shoyu, sugar and sake close at hand as they will be needed for cooking the
sukiyaki.
Heat the frying pan and lightly oil the cooking surface. Add half of each
kind of vegetable and fry, stirring, on high heat for a couple of minutes. Push
to one side of the pan and add the beef in one layer. After 1 minute, turn and
cook the other side. Sprinkle with shoyu, sugar and sake according to taste.
Add some stock to moisten all the meat and vegetables. Mix in the noodles
and heat through. Serve immediately, with each person helping themselves
from the pan. Turn off the heat until this has been eaten. When diners are
ready for second helpings, heat the pan again and repeat the procedure.
122 Steamed rice may be offered with sukiyaki.
Beef with Sesame Sauce
Shabu Shabu
The Japanese version of this popular combination is cooked in stock at the
table. Each diner swishes thin slices of steak briefly in boiling stock, then dips
them in sesame sauce. Four is a manageable number of diners, since
everyone has to use the pot.
Serves 4
500 g (1 lb) fillet steak
½ Chinese cabbage, sliced
6 spring onions, cut into bite-sized pieces
250 g (8 oz) button mushrooms, halved or quartered
1.5 litres (3 pints/6 cups) beef or chicken stock
Sesame Sauce
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) Japanese soy sauce (shoyu), salt-reduced if preferred
2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions
Trim any fat from the steak and place in a freezer until half-frozen and just
firm. Use a sharp knife to cut the meat into very thin slices.
Arrange the cabbage, spring onions, mushrooms and meat on a platter,
cover and refrigerate.
To make the Sesame Sauce, lightly brown the sesame seeds in a dry pan
over moderate heat, stirring constantly or shaking the pan for even browning,
about 5 minutes. As soon as the sesame seeds are golden brown, turn them
onto a plate to cool so they don’t continue to cook in the heat of the pan.
Ideal for crushing the sesame seeds is a wooden pestle used with a
Japanese bowl called a suribachi, which has a ribbed inner surface. A mortar
and pestle may be used, or even a blender. Add all the ingredients and blend
for a few seconds.
At serving time, place a table-top cooker filled with hot stock in the centre
of the table and provide diners with bowls, wooden chopsticks and small
sauce bowls. A bowl of steamed rice is also a usual accompaniment.
To eat, slices of beef are picked up and suspended briefly in the hot stock,
just until pale pink, then dipped in the sesame sauce and eaten with rice.
123
Vegetables, too, are lightly cooked and should be slightly crisp. When all the
meat and vegetables are eaten, the stock is ladeled into bowls and, in Japanese
fashion, lifted to the lips using both hands.
Japanese Pork Cutlet
Tonkatsu
This is a simple and satisfying dish that does not take a great deal of
preparation. Ask your butcher for a cut of pork suitable for quick cooking.
Butchers are pretty independent and call cuts of meat by names that are not
traditional—for example, slices of pork neck are sometimes labelled ‘Scotch
fillet’, which is normally associated with beef. Pork fillet or bolar blade would
do as well, if cut thinly as for schnitzel.
Serves 4
4 slices lean boneless pork
½ teaspoon Japanese pepper (sansho), or ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 cup soft white breadcrumbs
oil for shallow-frying
shreds of pickled ginger for serving
Beat the pork slices slightly to ensure they are thin.
Mix together the shoyu, mirin, garlic and sansho and turn each slice of pork
in the marinade to coat both sides. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
Beat the egg well and mix in the spring onions. Have the beaten egg in one
large deep plate and the breadcrumbs in another. Dip each slice of pork first
in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs, pressing them firmly on both
sides. Cover and chill for at least an hour.
When ready to cook heat a large, heavy frying pan and pour in sufficient oil
to cover the base of pan. When the oil is hot add the crumbed pork and cook
quickly over medium heat until golden brown on both sides, turning once
during cooking. Depending on the size of the pan it may be necessary to cook
the pork in two batches. Do not crowd the pan. Lift out with tongs and drain
on absorbent paper. Cut each piece into strips and assemble the strips in the
original shape.
Serve on steamed rice and garnish with pickled ginger. If liked, serve with a
124 tempura-style dipping sauce, which may be bought in a bottle, or mix together
3 tablespoons each of shoyu and mirin and stir in 250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) of
dashi (instant variety) made following the instructions on the packet.
Nine Varieties
Guchulpan
It is easy to see why the dish is thus named—many different fillings are
offered to be rolled in pancakes, dipped in sauce and eaten. The traditional
serving dish has nine sections in which the nine varieties are arranged.
Serves 6
Pancakes
1½ cups plain (all-purpose) flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) milk
vegetable oil for greasing pan
Filling
sesame oil or vegetable oil for frying
soy sauce
ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
3 eggs, separated
250 g (8 oz) beef fillet, finely shredded
3 young carrots, peeled and shredded
salt
12 spring onions, cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) lengths
1 giant white radish, peeled and shredded
250 g (8 oz) zucchini, shredded
Dipping Sauce
175 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons crushed, toasted sesame seeds
126
To make the Pancakes, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Mix the eggs with
the milk and water and add to the flour, beating with a wooden spoon until
smooth. Or combine in a food processor or blender, strain into a bowl and
leave to stand for 1 hour while you prepare the filling.
To cook the pancakes, heat a large frying pan and grease very lightly with
oil. Pour in a ladle of the batter and swirl to cover the base of the pan thinly.
Cook on medium to low heat so the pancake does not brown. Turn and cook
other side, then turn onto a board. When all the batter has been used, cut the
pancakes into small rounds with a pastry cutter. Pile pancakes in the centre
of the serving dish.
To make the Filling, soak the dried mushrooms in very hot water for
30 minutes. Squeeze out the water, discard the tough stems and thinly slice
the caps. Reserve the soaking liquid.
Heat a little sesame oil and stir-fry the mushrooms, then add soy sauce,
pepper, sugar and 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) of the mushroom soaking water.
Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and all
the liquid absorbed.
Beat the yolks and whites of the eggs separately and cook separately in a
lightly greased frying pan to make thin, flat omelettes. Do not have the pan
too hot, as they must not brown. Turn out on a board and allow to cool, then
shred into fine strips of white and yellow.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan and stir-fry the beef, adding soy sauce and
ground black pepper to taste. Cook till browned and all the liquid has
evaporated.
Cook the vegetables separately. The aim is to keep the natural colour of the
vegetables, so do not let them brown. Stir-fry the carrots in very little oil,
adding salt to taste. Briefly stir-fry the spring onions. Stir-fry the radish until
wilted, then season with salt. Stir-fry the zucchini for a few minutes, and
season with salt.
To make the Dipping Sauce, combine the ingredients and divide among
individual sauce bowls which are placed in front of each diner.
Arrange all the filling ingredients in separate piles around the edge of
a plate, with the pancakes in the middle. Set each place with a flat plate,
chopsticks and small bowl of sauce. To eat, fill a pancake with one or more of
the fillings, roll it up and dip it in the sauce.
127
Stir-fried Mixture
Chap Chye
For this dish, use Korean potato starch noodles which are springy in texture
and need about 8 minutes cooking. Bean thread vermicelli, which are more
easily obtainable, may be substituted.
Serves 6
250 g (8 oz) fillet or rump steak, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
2 finely chopped spring onions
1 tablespoon toasted and ground sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons dried wood fungus
250 g (8 oz) sweet potato starch noodles (dang myun)
salt
1 red capsicum, finely shredded
6 spring onions, diagonally cut into bite-sized lengths
2 teaspoons Korean chilli bean paste (gochu jang) (optional)
Marinate the beef in a mixture of the soy sauce, sugar, spring onions, garlic,
sesame seeds, pepper and sesame oil. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Soak the wood fungus in warm water for 20 minutes and cut into bite-
sized pieces, discarding any tough bits.
In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water cook the noodles until tender.
Drain in a colander, run cold water over them and drain once more.
Heat a wok, add half of the peanut oil and stir-fry the vegetables until just
tender. Remove from the wok, add remaining peanut oil and on high heat fry
the marinated beef for about 3 minutes, until the colour changes. Add the
noodles and mix well, then return the vegetables and toss until combined. If
liked, add Korean chilli bean paste to the pan and mix through the noodles.
128
Korean Barbecued Beef
Bulgogi
In Korean homes and restaurants, a dome-shaped grill is placed over a table-
top cooker and each diner cooks his or her own. A small hibachi may be used,
or place fine-mesh wire over a standard barbecue so the small pieces of meat
don’t fall through the bars.
Serves 6
1 kg (2 lb) lean fillet or rump steak, thinly sliced
Marinade
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon toasted, crushed sesame seeds
Sauce
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) soy sauce
2 teaspoons Korean chilli bean paste (gochu jang) (optional)
2 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon toasted, ground sesame seeds
2 teaspoons finely chopped spring onions
½ teaspoon crushed garlic
2 teaspoons sugar
Beat out the beef slices until very flat. Trim into bite-sized squares.
To make the Marinade, combine ingredients and pour over the beef and
marinate for 3 hours. The best way to cook this is to grill briefly over glowing
coals.
To make the Sauce, combine all the ingredients and pour into individual
sauce dishes.
Serve the beef with plain steamed rice and the sauce.
129
Steamed Rice
Short- or medium-grain rice is most commonly used in China. Long-grain
rice such as jasmine is a popular option in western countries, where
restaurants cater to a preference for more separate grains, though fluffy rice
not as easy to eat with chopsticks. If long-grain rice is stipulated in any recipe,
it is best to use Carolina or jasmine rice and not basmati. The way to cook rice
Chinese style is by the absorption method, which makes the grains cling
together, although each grain is well defined.
Serves 4–6
500 g (1 lb) medium-grain rice
750 ml (24 fl oz/3 cups) water
Wash the rice in 2–3 changes of water and drain well. Put the rice into a
saucepan with the measured water (hot or cold, it does not matter). Bring to
the boil over high heat and boil rapidly for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to
medium and cook uncovered for 2–3 minutes, without stirring, until holes
appear in the surface of the rice, giving a dimpled effect. Cover the pan with a
well-fitting lid, reduce the heat to as low as possible and cook for a further
10 minutes without lifting the lid. Turn off the heat and leave the pan covered
for a further 10 minutes.
An electric rice cooker is a convenient appliance since it cooks rice and
keeps it hot for hours. Use the same proportion of rice to water, but it must
be cold water.
130
Rice Congee
A comfort food if ever there was one, this rice porridge is eaten at any time
of day or night, for breakfast, lunch or late supper. Late-night revellers or
gamblers seeking consolation are known to partake of a bowl of congee. It fills
without the richness of many other dishes.
To make congee, 2 cups steamed rice is returned to the heat with 750 ml
(24 fl oz/3 cups) hot water or chicken stock. Simmer until the rice has
‘blossomed’ to form a thin gruel, about 15 minutes.
If starting from scratch, put 4 tablespoons raw rice and 1.25 litres (2 pints/
5 cups) water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a
simmer, partially cover the pan so it does not boil over, and cook for
45 minutes. These quantities are enough for 2 meal-sized portions.
Accompaniments served with congee are many and varied—sliced spring
onions, fried shallots, fried garlic and chilli, crispy fried salted fish, fermented
black beans, fried peanuts, soy sauce and sesame oil. These tasty items are
added in small amounts, as they are intended only to flavour the rice.
131
Fried Rice
The secret of successful fried rice is to cook the rice as for steamed rice and as
soon as it has finished cooking, to spread the hot rice on a lightly oiled baking
tray and leave until it is quite cold and firm. Chill overnight if possible.
The additions to fried rice can be as simple as some chopped spring onions
and a sprinkling of light soy sauce. Or they can be elaborate, such as pieces of
diced cooked pork or Chinese sausage, shredded omelette, diced mushrooms
and small cooked prawns. The rice is fried in peanut oil (about 2 tablespoons
to 3 cups cold cooked rice) and seasoned with soy sauce and a little sesame oil.
Here is a recipe for a vegetarian version.
Serves 4
4 cups cooked rice, cooled (1½ cups raw rice, cooked as per page 130)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper
2 squares firm bean curd, finely diced
2 cups finely diced vegetables (green beans, celery, zucchini, carrots)
1 cup cooked peas
1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons coarsely chopped coriander leaves
Have the rice cooked and thoroughly cooled. Beat the eggs with salt and
pepper to taste.
Heat a wok, add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil and swirl to coat the surface.
Pour in the beaten eggs and stir until set. Cut into small pieces with the
spatula. Remove from wok and set aside.
Heat the remaining oil and when hot throw in the spring onions, garlic and
ginger. Stir-fry until they smell fragrant, just a few seconds. Add the bean
curd and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the vegetables and peas and continue
to fry, stirring, for a further 2 minutes. The vegetables should be tender but
still crisp.
Add the rice, stir and toss until heated through. Sprinkle soy sauce and
132 sesame oil over, add the coriander leaves and egg. Toss to mix well. Serve
immediately.
Lettuce Wraps
Sang Choy Bao
The first time I tasted this was in Hong Kong, and the filling was minced
pigeon. Luckily, it is not necessary to pursue the elusive bird. Pork and
prawns make a delicious substitute, or minced chicken with the addition of
one or two chicken livers for richness. All the sauces used for flavouring are
readily available at Asian grocery stores, and keep well after opening.
Serves 6
4 tablespoons pine nuts
1 small onion, finely chopped
250 g (8 oz) minced pork
250 g (8 oz) raw prawns, finely chopped
2 teaspoons bean sauce (mor sze jeung)
3 teaspoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons red bean curd
3 teaspoons sugar
5 tablespoons chopped water chestnuts
5 tablespoons chopped bamboo shoots
2 teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch)
3 tablespoons cold water
lettuce, washed and dried
Soak the mushrooms in very hot water for 30 minutes. Discard the stems,
squeeze out any excess moisture and dice the caps very finely.
Heat the peanut oil in a wok and on low heat fry the pine nuts only until
pale golden, about 1 minute. Lift out immediately on a slotted spoon and have
absorbent paper ready to drain them on.
In the oil remaining in the wok, fry the garlic and onion, stirring
frequently, until soft and golden. Add the minced pork and fry on high
heat until no longer pink. Add the mushrooms and prawns and cook for
2 minutes, then add all the sauces, red bean curd and sugar. Stir in the water
chestnuts, bamboo shoots, spring onions and the cornflour mixed with cold
133
water until smooth. Stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from
the heat and mix in the pine nuts. Place on a serving plate.
Trim the lettuce leaves to form cups and place next to the filling. To eat,
spoon the filling into the lettuce cups and wrap up the mixture.
Cloud Swallows
Wonton
There is a distinct resemblance to the beak and tail of a swallow when the
pastry squares are correctly folded to enclose the filling. On a more prosaic
note, they may be called deep-fried dumplings. One also finds them on
restaurant menus under the name of ‘fried short soup sweet and sour’ when
served with the appropriate sauce.
Makes about 40
125 g (4 oz) raw prawns
3 tablespoons finely chopped bamboo shoots
1½ teaspoons salt
250 g (8 oz) wonton wrappers
peanut oil for deep-frying
Soak the mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes. Squeeze out any excess
moisture, discard the stems and chop the caps finely.
Shell and devein the prawns and chop till almost a paste, mixing with the
spring onions, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, minced pork and seasonings.
Put a half teaspoon of filling in the centre of each wonton wrapper. Moisten
the edges of the dough with a finger dipped in water. Fold over to form a
triangle, with the points overlapping slightly. Press together to seal. Pull the
two bottom corners of the triangle down to meet under the bulge of the
filling, and dab with a little of the meat mixture, placing one corner over the
other and pressing firmly. Place on a paper-lined baking sheet, leaving a little
space between them. If they touch, this pastry is inclined to stick.
Heat the oil in a wok and deep-fry a few at a time over medium heat so the
filling has time to cook through, about 2 minutes. When golden, lift out on a
slotted spoon and drain on absorbent paper. Serve as an appetiser or as part of
a meal, with sweet and sour sauce poured over just before serving.
Note: Wonton wrappers may be purchased from the refrigerator section of
134 any Asian store. They are squares of egg and wheat flour pastry, rolled very
thinly and cut into precise 8 cm (3 in) squares. They are also used for steamed
dumplings. To make, gather the edges of the pastry around 2 teaspoons of
filling in a money bag shape. Steam over boiling water for 10 minutes in an
oiled steamer.
Noodles
Wheat and Egg Noodles
Noodles made from wheat flour are the most popular in Chinese cooking.
Usually sold in 500 g (1 lb) packets, with each packet consisting of 7–8 small
bundles. Allow one bundle per person. They may be served boiled or shallow-
fried. Unlike rice or bean thread vermicelli, which are sometimes fried
straight from the packet, wheat noodles must be boiled before frying.
The packet instructions invariably tell you to drop the noodles into fast-
boiling water. Don’t! They must be soaked in warm water first to loosen the
strands, otherwise the outside of each bundle will cook but the inner strands
will stick together and not cook evenly. This can be done while the pan of
water is coming to the boil. If the noodles are loose packed, soaking is not
necessary. Neither is it necessary for instant noodles.
Drain the noodles, then drop into lightly salted boiling water with a
tablespoon of peanut oil added to prevent boiling over. Depending on the
width of the noodles, cook for 2–5 minutes. Test frequently. They should
be al dente.
As soon as they are done, run cold water into the pan to stop the cooking.
Drain in a colander and run cold water through to rinse away excess starch.
Drain thoroughly.
Soft-fried Noodles
Sprinkle the well-drained wheat or egg noodles with 1 tablespoon peanut oil
and 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Toss to distribute the oil, spread the noodles on a
large baking tray and leave to dry for about 1 hour.
Heat a wok or large frying pan and when very hot add 3 tablespoons peanut
oil. When the oil is very hot, coil the noodles into the pan, making a round or
oval cake. Reduce the heat to medium and fry, shaking the pan but not
stirring, until the base is golden. Turn the noodles over and add a little more
oil, drizzling it down the side of the wok so it gets hot before it reaches the
noodles. Cook for a further 5 minutes or until golden, then transfer to a
serving dish. Serve as a base for any stir-fried or braised dish.
Fresh Wheat Noodles

These soft, fresh noodles need only the briefest dip into boiling water before
draining and using in soups or stir-fries. Or they may be steamed over boiling
water for 10 minutes.
Some varieties of wheat noodles, like thick yellow Hokkien noodles, need 135
only to have boiling water poured over them in a bowl and be left for 1 minute
before draining in a colander. They may then be stir-fried with other
ingredients.
Spring Rain Noodles
with Pork
Romantically called ‘spring rain noodles’, these are also known as cellophane
noodles. They are, in fact, bean starch vermicelli, which turn transparent
when cooked. The noodles are sold in a net bag containing a number of
50 g (1 ½ oz) bundles, which is a great idea because you can then use as many
or as few as you like. If you buy a 500 g (1 lb) bundle, it is quite a task
separating a small amount from the mass.
Serves 4
3 ∑ 50 g (1½ oz) packets bean thread vermicelli
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) chicken stock
125 g (4 oz) pork, finely diced
1 red capsicum or 1 large chilli, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chilli bean sauce
fresh coriander sprigs
Snip the threads holding the bundles of bean thread vermicelli and put the
vermicelli in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over to cover.
In another bowl soak the mushrooms in hot water. Leave both for
30 minutes. When the noodles are soft and transparent, drain and cut
into short lengths with a sharp knife. Squeeze excess moisture from the
mushrooms, discard the stems and dice the caps finely.
Combine the rice wine, soy sauce, chicken stock and cornflour in a bowl.
Heat a wok over high heat, add peanut oil and when the oil is hot add the
pork and mushrooms, stir-frying until the pork is browned. Add the spring
onions and ginger, stir for a few seconds, then add the chopped capsicum or
chilli and chilli bean sauce. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is
aromatic, about 1 minute. Stir in the cornflour mixture until it boils. Add the
136 vermicelli and simmer, stirring, until the liquid has reduced. Serve at once,
garnished with coriander sprigs.
Pot Stickers
Gow jee pastry or shiao mai pastry is sold in the refrigerator section of
most Asian stores. If you cannot buy the pastry, make it with the following
recipe—it is easy to handle.
Makes about 30
Pastry
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) boiling water
2 cups plain wheat flour
Filling
3 tablespoons finely chopped bamboo shoots
1½ teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons peanut oil for cooking
To make the Pastry, pour boiling water over the flour in a large bowl. Stir with
handle of a wooden spoon. When cool enough to handle, knead the dough
well until smooth. If the dough seems sticky, dust your hands with flour.
Shape the dough into a 2.5 cm (1 in) cylinder and slice into 30 pieces of equal
size. Cover with plastic or a slightly damp cloth to prevent the surface
becoming dry.
138
To make the Filling, combine all ingredients except the peanut oil. Have
filling ready before starting to shape the pot stickers.
Roll out each piece of dough to a circle 10 cm (4 in) in diameter. Pleat the
edge of half the circle, which will result in a cup shape. Place a teaspoonful of
filling in the centre. Press the pleated edge to a straight edge to seal. (If
necessary, brush the edges with a little cold water.) Place the dumplings on
a tray, leaving space between each so they do not touch. Cover with a damp
cloth.
Heat a large, heavy frying pan over a medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons
peanut oil and tilt the pan to coat the base and halfway up the side of the pan.
This is important. If the pastry touches a part of the pan that is not oiled, it
will stick and tear. When the oil is very hot add half the dumplings or as many
as will fit in the pan, placing them flat side down and pleated surface up. Fry
until golden underneath.
Now for the exciting part. Add about 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) boiling water to
the pan, standing well back and using a long-handled ladle because it will
spatter and release much steam. Cover the pan immediately and cook on low
heat for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until the liquid evaporates and the pot
stickers become crisp and golden brown on the base. Lift them occasionally
with a spatula to prevent them sticking too much.
Remove the pot stickers to a plate, clean the pan and cook the remaining
pot stickers in the same way. Serve hot, with a dipping sauce. Chinese red
vinegar is traditional, but there are those who prefer chilli sauce or soy sauce.
139
Steamed Scallops
This is one of my favourite dishes. Scallops are delicate and shouldn’t be
subjected to heat for too long. I buy white scallops on the half shell, preferably
without roe.
Serves 4 as an appetiser
½ teaspoon finely grated ginger
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
16 scallops on the half shell
1 spring onion, cut into fine shreds
Combine ginger, oyster sauce, wine and sugar, stirring until the sugar
dissolves.
If the scallops have a dark vein around the side, remove this carefully.
Marinate the scallops in the marinade for 15 minutes. With a damp cloth,
wipe around the shells in case there are bits of grit or shell. Return each
scallop to a half shell and drizzle any remaining marinade over them. Scatter
shreds of spring onion over the top.
Place 8 scallops in each of two bamboo steaming baskets and place the
baskets over a wok of boiling water. Cover with a bamboo lid and steam over
boiling water for 5 minutes. Serve at once.
140
Prawn Toast
These are popular and so easy to make that even a novice can manage to
impress.
Makes 24 savouries
6 square slices white bread
300 g (10 oz) raw prawns
½ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1 small egg, beaten
oil for deep-frying
Leave the bread slices on a wire rack for an hour or more to dry off slightly.
Trim off the crusts and cut each slice into quarters diagonally.
Shell and devein the prawns. If using prawns that have been frozen, dry
them very well on absorbent paper. Chop them finely. Put the prawns in a
bowl and combine with ginger, salt, oyster sauce, cornflour and beaten egg.
Add the egg gradually, stopping when the mixture is of a thick spreading
consistency.
Spread the bread with prawn mixture.
Heat oil for deep-frying and when hot, put in a few triangles of bread at a
time, prawn side downwards. Fry until the bread is golden. Lift out on a
slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels. Serve warm.
141
Braised Ginger Crab
Live crabs are best for any dish, but I know many cooks who would prefer not
to kill them. Wrap the crabs in newspaper and place in the freezer for an hour
or two, to put them into a cold-induced sleep. They are then quite easy to
handle.
Serves 2
1 mud crab or 2 blue swimmer crabs
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely shredded fresh ginger
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
3 tablespoons water
4 spring onions, finely sliced
Wash the crabs well. Remove and discard the carapace, gills and stomach bag.
Separate the large claws and crack them with a hammer to allow flavours to
penetrate. Divide each crab in half or quarters, according to size. Fry them in
4 tablespoons of the peanut oil on high heat until they change colour.
Heat a wok, add remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil and swirl. On a
medium heat fry the garlic and ginger until soft and starting to colour. Add
the soy sauce, wine, water and crabs. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes.
Sprinkle in the spring onions, cover and cook for 1 minute longer. Serve hot.
142
Chilli-fried Squid
For this dish I like to purchase large squid tubes. They are already cleaned
and their thickness makes it easy to achieve a decorative effect by scoring
them. Smaller squid don’t provide quite the same effect, and often the inside
of the sac needs cleaning out, which I’d rather not bother with. However, in
case you have to use whole squid, there are instructions on how to prepare
them. Squid taste good if they are not overcooked, since that makes them
tough.
Serves 4
500 g (1 lb) large squid tubes or 750 g (1½ lb) whole medium-sized squid
6 spring onions, cut into long diagonal pieces
100 g (3 ½ oz) snow peas or sugar snap peas (optional)
1 tablespoon sweet–hot chilli sauce or 1 teaspoon hot chilli sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons water
If using whole squid, hold down the head of the squid with the blunt edge of
a knife and pull on the body sac. The head and contents of the sac will come
away. Cut off the tentacles and reserve, discarding everything else. Cut away
the small sharp ‘beak’ in the centre of the ring of tentacles. Slit the body of the
squid lengthways and rinse well. With a paper towel scrub away the filmy
membrane inside the sac and the speckled skin on the outside.
If using large squid tubes slit them lengthways to open them flat, and cut
each into 2 pieces. Lay on cutting board with the inner surface uppermost.
With a sharp knife held at a 45-degree angle, make a series of parallel cuts
about 6 mm ( ¼ in) apart. Make more cuts in the opposite direction so there is
a criss-cross pattern which will blossom into a very pretty effect when the
squid is cooked. Cut squid into 5 cm (2 in) squares.
Heat the oil in a wok and stir-fry the squid over high heat just until it curls,
no more than 1–2 minutes. Remove the squid pieces from the wok on a
slotted spoon. Stir-fry the garlic, ginger, spring onions and snow peas if using
for 1 minute. Add the chilli sauce, soy sauce, sugar and the cornflour mixed
smoothly with water. Stir until the sauce thickens, then return the squid and
143
toss to coat with the sauce. Serve immediately with steamed white rice.
Fried Fish with Hot
Seasonings
Serves 4
1 whole snapper or bream, about 750 g (1½ lb)
coarse salt
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1–2 tablespoons chilli bean sauce
Buy the fish cleaned and scaled, with its head and tail on. Trim the fins with
kitchen scissors. Scrub out the cavity with kitchen paper dipped in coarse salt,
rinse in cold water and blot with paper towels. With a sharp knife score the
flesh lengthways, making parallel cuts about a finger’s width apart and almost
to the bone to allow seasonings to penetrate.
Combine the rice wine and light soy sauce and pour over the fish to
marinate.
Mix the cornflour with water, then stir in the dark soy sauce and sugar. Set
aside.
Heat the oil in a wok and when very hot lift the fish from the marinade and
fry for about 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Turn the fish only
once when frying. When ready, lift out the fish with a slotted spoon and put
on a serving dish.
Pour off the oil in the wok, leaving 2–3 tablespoons. On a gentle heat fry
the ginger and garlic, stirring constantly, until the garlic is golden. Add the
chilli bean sauce and water. Stir in the cornflour mixture, then add the spring
onions. Stir constantly until the mixture comes to the boil and thickens
slightly. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve at once with rice.
144
Hainan Chicken Rice
A meal in a dish, this homely combination of chicken, rice cooked in chicken
stock and a couple of sprightly dipping sauces has become a top favourite in
many Asian countries. It is particularly popular with travellers seeking
sustenance that will not tax their digestive systems. Chicken rice makes the
perfect family meal, offering rice, chicken and a soup based on the chicken
stock. The recipe looks long and involved, but the preparation is truly simple.
Serves 5–6
salt
20 whole black peppercorns
3 sprigs coriander
2 teaspoons sesame oil
¼ small Chinese cabbage, finely shredded
light soy sauce
chopped fresh coriander or spring onions (extra)
Rice
500 g (1 lb) long-grain rice
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon sliced garlic
1 onion, finely sliced
2 teaspoons salt
Dipping Sauces
1 tablespoon sliced red chilli
4 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon ground fresh chilli
146
Cut off and discard the tail of the chicken with the two fat glands on either
side. Also discard any obvious fat near the cavity. Rinse the bird well and dry
with paper towels, then rub well with salt inside and out.
In a pan just large enough to hold the chicken, bring 2 litres (4 pints/
8 cups) water to the boil with the spring onions, celery leaves, peppercorns,
coriander and 2 teaspoons salt. When the water boils, lower the chicken gently
into the pan, breast downwards. Let the water return to the boil and reduce
the heat so it just simmers. Cover the pan tightly and simmer for 25 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and leave for 45 minutes, still tightly covered,
for the chicken to finish cooking in the stored heat.
While the chicken is cooking, wash the rice and leave it to drain in a
colander. Heat the sesame and peanut oils in a heavy saucepan and on
medium heat fry the garlic, ginger and onion, stirring until they are golden.
Remove 1 tablespoon of this cooked oil and reserve for one of the dipping
sauces. Add the rice to the pan and fry, stirring, until the grains are coated
with oil.
Lift out and drain the chicken. Strain and reserve the stock for cooking the
rice and for the soup. Rub the chicken all over with sesame oil. Cover with foil
and keep warm.
Add 1 litre (2 pints/4 cups) strained chicken stock to the rice and bring to
the boil. Stir in the salt, turn the heat to very low, cover the pan tightly and
cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from the heat and leave,
covered, for a further 10 minutes.
For one dipping sauce combine the sliced chilli and dark soy sauce. For the
second dipping sauce, stir together the crushed chilli, ginger and reserved
tablespoon of cooked oil.
To make the soup, bring the remaining strained stock to the boil. Add the
Chinese cabbage and light soy sauce to taste. Sprinkle chopped fresh
coriander or spring onions over.
To serve, carve the chicken into joints or cut in half lengthways and chop
across each half into bite-sized pieces. Serve the soup for ladling over the rice
if desired, or sipping between mouthfuls. Serve the sauces in individual
dishes.
147
Honey-glazed Chicken
A jointed roasting chicken may be used in this recipe, but if you do this, add
the breast (cut in half) halfway through roasting as the white meat needs less
cooking time. Using the same joints, for example, wings, drumsticks or
thighs, ensures they all cook at the same time. Wings and drumsticks are
ideal for picnics or other informal occasions, as they invite being picked up
and eaten.
Serves 6
1.5 kg (3 lb) chicken wings or drumsticks
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry (optional)
2 teaspoons Chinese sesame oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon five-spice powder
If using wings, cut off and discard the wing tips. Put the chicken pieces
in a saucepan with just enough water to cover and bring to the boil. Drain
immediately.
Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, turn the chicken to coat all
over and marinate for an hour or cover and refrigerate for longer, turning the
pieces over once or twice.
Put the chicken pieces in a large roasting dish and roast in a preheated
moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 45 minutes. Check them after 30 minutes
and if the tops are well browned, turn them over with tongs and brush with
the marinade. Cool to room temperature.
Note: If wings are cut at the mid-joint, these make ideal finger-food
appetisers.
148
White-cut Chicken
A superbly simple recipe, worthy of a free-range or organically raised chicken.
Serves 6
1 x 1.5 kg (3 lb) roasting chicken
4 spring onions, left whole
1 knob fresh ginger
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons salt
Remove any obvious fat from the cavity of the chicken and rinse the bird well.
With a sharp knife cut off the tail including the two fat glands just above it,
which the Chinese say give an undesirable odour to the meat. Put the chicken
in a pot just large enough to hold it. Add cold water to cover the chicken, then
remove the chicken and bring the water to a boil with the spring onions,
ginger, peppercorns, celery leaves and salt.
Put a stainless-steel spoon into the cavity of the chicken to conduct heat.
Gently lower the chicken into the pot, breast down, and let the water return to
a simmer. Cover the pot with a well-fitting lid and simmer for 20 minutes,
then turn off the heat and leave for 40 minutes without lifting the lid so that
it continues to cook in the stored heat.
Have ready a large pan or bowl with cold water and at least 3 trays of ice
cubes in it. Remove the chicken from the hot liquid, drain liquid from the
cavity and remove the spoon. (Be careful when draining liquid from cavity that
it goes back into the pan and not over your hand.) Try to accomplish this
without damaging the skin of the bird. Ensure that the chicken is completely
immersed in the water and ice, and chill for 15 minutes. Drain the chicken,
place in a large bowl and refrigerate, covered, for at least 3 hours. The chilling
results in a layer of jellied stock under the skin of the chicken, so when
serving remove meat from bones carefully, keeping the skin intact. Or chop
the chicken through the bones into bite-sized pieces and arrange on a platter.
To keep the jellied stock intact, cover and chill until serving time.
Make a dipping sauce with the soy sauce and sesame oil, and serve with the
chicken.
149
Red-cooked Chicken
Simmering food in liquid that includes a large proportion of dark soy sauce is
known as ‘red cooking’ because of the rich colour the food acquires. A bonus
is the resulting sauce, known as a ‘master sauce’, that may be used over and
over again. Refrigerate or freeze the sauce between times in small amounts,
ready to add whenever a dish needs a lift.
Serves 6
375 ml (12 fl oz/1½ cups) dark soy sauce
375 ml (12 fl oz/1½ cups) water
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 knob ginger, sliced
2 star anise
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons rock sugar
Rinse the chicken in cold water. Cut off the tail and the two glands either side
of it. Remove and discard the fat from the cavity. Choose a saucepan just large
enough to hold the chicken so it will be almost covered with the cooking
liquid. Place the chicken in the pan, breast down, and add all the ingredients
except the sesame oil. On gentle heat, bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover and
simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, then use tongs to turn the chicken over
without piercing the skin. Replace the lid and simmer for a further 15
minutes, basting with liquid every 5 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and leave the chicken in the covered
pan for 40 minutes to finish cooking. Lift the chicken onto a chopping board,
letting the liquid in the cavity drain back into the pan. Brush the chicken with
sesame oil and either carve into joints or cut in half lengthways and chop into
pieces through the bone. Assemble the chicken on a serving plate. Serve with
some of the cooking liquid as a dipping sauce.
Refrigerate or freeze the remaining liquid. Use for red-cooking other foods
and notice how the flavour intensifies each time it is used. Serve with plain
steamed rice.
150
Roast Duck with Chinese
Flavours
We’re going to cheat a bit by making use of an oven bag to speed up the
cooking. The bag also keeps the duck very moist.
Serves 4–5
1 roasting duck, about 1.8 kg (3½ lb)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter
Wash the duck and dry on paper towels. Cut off the tail and the oil glands on
either side of it. Combine the remaining ingredients and rub some of the
mixture both inside and outside the duck, reserving the rest for serving as a
sauce.
Put the duck into an oven bag, following the manufacturer’s directions
about making a few holes in the bag. Leave the duck to marinate for
1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and place the duck in a roasting pan with
the breast down. Roast for 50 minutes, then turn the duck so the breast is
upwards. Continue to roast for 1 hour.
Remove the duck from the bag, carve into thin slices and serve hot with the
remaining marinade as a sauce. If you serve small pancakes to wrap pieces of
duck in with slivers of spring onion, the dish seems almost like Peking Duck,
with far less effort.
151
Stir-fried Beef in
Black Bean Sauce
Serves 3–4
375 g (12 oz) lean fillet or rump steak
1 tablespoon canned salted black beans
1 large onion
1 bunch Chinese broccoli (gai larn)
1 tablespoon water
Sauce
4 tablespoons water or stock
1 teaspoon sugar
Trim any fat from the beef. Freeze until firm enough to cut into paper-thin
slices.
Put the black beans into a small strainer and rinse under cold water for a
few seconds. Drain and chop on a wooden board or mash with a fork.
Cut the onion in half lengthways, then cut each half into 6 wedges.
Cut the Chinese broccoli into bite-sized pieces and blanch for 1 minute in
lightly salted boiling water. Drain immediately.
Mix the cornflour and water until smooth.
In another bowl, combine the sauce ingredients.
Heat a wok until very hot, add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil and swirl to coat
the cooking surface. Stir-fry the onion for 1 minute. Remove and set aside
with the blanched Chinese broccoli.
Add another tablespoon of peanut oil to the wok and when very hot, stir-fry
the beef over high heat, tossing until all surfaces come in contact with the pan
and look cooked. Push the meat to one side, heat the remaining tablespoon of
oil, add the garlic and ginger and stir for a few seconds until they smell
fragrant. Add the black beans and fry, stirring, for a few seconds more. Add
152 the sauce mixture and when it boils add cornflour and stir until sauce
thickens. Add the onion and Chinese broccoli, toss together to heat through
and coat with the sauce. Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Barbecued Pork Spareribs
Look for spareribs that are nice and lean, sometimes called ‘American style’.
This is a great dish for barbecues, since picking them up with the fingers is
the best way to enjoy them.
Serves 6–8
1.5 kg (3 lb) pork spareribs
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
Cut the rack of bones into lengths of 4 bones each or, if you have a friendly
butcher, ask him or her to do this for you. With a sharp knife, cut between
the bones but do not separate them. This enables the marinade to coat more
surfaces than if the bones were joined together.
Crush the garlic with the salt to form a smooth purée. Mix with the ginger
and all the other ingredients, and brush over the spareribs and between them.
Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Cook at a moderate distance from the heat source over a gas or coal-fired
barbecue, until the ribs are golden brown and touched with dark spots here
and there.
Or, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Place a rack in a roasting pan
(or across the top of the pan) and pour some hot water into the pan so drips
from the pork don’t burn. Water should not touch the rack. Place the
marinated spareribs on the rack and cook in the hot oven for 20 minutes,
then turn ribs over using tongs. Reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F), and cook
for a further 25–30 minutes or until the spareribs are browned and glazed.
Allow extra cooking time if necessary.
154
Pork in Chilli Bean Sauce
Pork spareribs with their alternate layers of lean and fat need a hot or piquant
sauce to balance their richness. The amount of chilli bean sauce may be
adjusted to taste.
Serves 4
500 g (1 lb) meaty pork spareribs
1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons oil
100 g (3 ½ oz) small snow peas or sugar snap peas
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon smooth bean paste (mor sze jeung)
2 teaspoons chilli bean sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
Remove the skin from the spareribs. Cut the pork into thin slices and pour
over the soy sauce and sherry, mixing well.
Combine the Sauce ingredients in a bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
In a small bowl, mix the cornflour and water.
Heat the wok, add 2 tablespoons of oil and swirl to coat. When the oil is hot
add the snow peas and spring onions and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes. Lift out
with a slotted spoon.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and fry the garlic, ginger and
marinated pork, pressing the pork against sides of wok and stir-frying until
fragrant. Pour in the combined Sauce ingredients, stirring well. Cover and
simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Add the snow peas and spring onions,
tossing to mix. Serve at once, with steamed rice.
155
Note: Hoisin sauce, bean paste and chilli bean sauce are sold in all Chinese
stores and are useful additions to your pantry.
Crisp-fried Pork with
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Almost a cliché in the world of Chinese restaurants, but there’s no denying
that many westerners love this dish. I have tried to reduce its richness by
using lean pork and, instead of coating the pork with batter, the marinated
pork is dipped in a dry flour mixture. After coating with batter or flour, it is
fried twice for optimum crispness.
Serves 4–5
500 g (1 lb) pork fillet or other lean, boneless pork
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk, beaten
3 tablespoons plain flour
3 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch), extra
1 small white onion
1 small red capsicum, diced
1 cup diced fresh pineapple or canned pineapple pieces
3 tablespoons diced water chestnuts (optional)
Sauce
3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons white sugar
200 ml (7 fl oz) water or pineapple juice
1 tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
156 1 tablespoon water
Trim any fat from the pork. Pound the pork all over with the blunt edge
of a chopper to tenderise. Cut into 2 cm (¾ in) slices, and the slices into
2 cm ( ¾ in) cubes. Put the pork into a bowl with the soy sauce, rice wine, salt,
pepper and five-spice powder. Mix well. Combine the beaten egg yolk, sesame
oil and 2 teaspoons cornflour, pour over the pork and stir to coat the meat.
Cover and set aside for 30 minutes or refrigerate for longer.
Heat a wok, add about 500 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) oil for deep-frying and heat.
Combine the plain flour and cornflour in a bag and shake the pieces of pork
until they are coated with the flour mixture. Shake off any excess flour and fry
the pork in batches for 2 minutes per batch, stirring constantly to keep the
pieces from sticking together. Lift out on a slotted spoon and drain on
absorbent paper.
To make the Sauce, stir together in a small non-reactive saucepan the soy
sauce, rice wine, tomato ketchup, vinegar, sugar and water or pineapple juice.
Bring to the boil, stirring. Mix the cornflour with cold water until smooth, and
stir into the sauce mixture with the sesame oil. Let it boil for 1 minute or until
the sauce is thick and clear. Do this ahead if it’s more convenient.
Peel the onion and cut into quarters, then cut each quarter in half
crossways and separate the layers. Heat a wok, add 2 tablespoons peanut oil
and stir-fry the onion, garlic, ginger and red capsicum for 2 minutes on high
heat. Add to the sauce with the pineapple and water chestnuts and heat
through.
Reheat the oil and fry the pork for a second time on high heat, for
1 minute. Transfer the pork to a serving dish. Spoon over the sauce and serve
at once, with steamed rice.
Note: For those who want a sweet and sour pork as they remember it from
their favourite restaurant, coat the pork with batter, made by mixing 1 cup
plain flour with 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon
peanut oil. Allow batter to stand for 30 minutes. Just before using, fold in the
stiffly beaten white of one egg. Dust the pork lightly with cornflour
(cornstarch) and shake off any excess. Dip the pork in batter.
Make sure the oil is hot enough before frying the pork in batches, taking
care not to crowd the pan. Drain on absorbent paper. Bring the oil to high
heat before the second frying, which should only take 1 minute.
157
Grandmother’s Bean Curd
Ma Po Dou Fu
One of the famous dishes using bean curd, which the Chinese call
‘the meat without a bone’ because it is high in protein.
Serves 4
500 g (1 lb) firm bean curd, cut into 2 cm (¾ in) dice
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
3 tablespoons chopped spring onions
250 ml (8 fl oz/1 cup) pork or chicken stock
1–2 teaspoons chilli bean sauce
1 tablespoon ground bean sauce (mor sze jeung)
2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
2 level teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch)
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon chilli oil (optional)
½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
Drop the bean curd into a pan of boiling water and boil for a few minutes to
heat through. Drain in a colander.
Heat a wok, add the peanut oil and fry the garlic, ginger and spring onions
over a medium heat until fragrant. Add the pork and stir-fry, pressing it
against the side of the wok until it is no longer pink.
Mix the stock and sauces together and pour into the wok. Simmer for
5 minutes. Mix the cornflour with water and stir into the sauce until it boils
and thickens.
Drop the bean curd into the simmering sauce and stir gently. Add sesame
oil and chilli oil and sprinkle with Sichuan pepper. Serve over steamed rice.
Note: Roast Sichuan pepper in a dry pan over low heat for 5 minutes or until
it smells fragrant. Crush in a mortar and pestle or with a rolling pin, first
separating and discarding any shiny black seeds.
158
Braised Mushrooms
These are most useful to have around, as a few can be sliced or chopped and
added to rice or noodles to give magnificent flavour. They are also a vegetable
dish on their own or may be served as part of a cold hors d’oeuvres platter.
Serves 4
125 g (4 oz) dried shiitake mushrooms
500 ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) very hot water
2 tablespoons sugar
Wash the mushrooms briefly in cold water. Put into a bowl, pour hot water
over and soak for 20–30 minutes. The better the quality of mushrooms, that
is, the thicker the caps, the longer soaking they will need. Use a sharp knife to
cut off and discard the stems. Squeeze as much moisture as possible from the
mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid, for it has a lot of flavour.
Stir soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil into 375 ml (12 fl oz/1½ cups) of the
mushroom soaking water, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Heat the peanut oil in a wok and fry the mushrooms over high heat,
stirring and pressing them against the hot wok until the undersides are
browned. Add the liquid, lower the heat, cover and simmer for approximately
30 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and the mushrooms are glazed
with the syrupy reduction. Towards the end of the cooking time, stir
occasionally. Serve hot or cold.
159
Green Vegetables in
Oyster Sauce
At lunch, dinner or yum cha one of the popular dishes is simply boiled
Chinese broccoli (gai larn) or asparagus, served with oyster sauce.
Serves 4
1 bunch Chinese broccoli (gai larn) or 2 bundles asparagus
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Wash the vegetables. Trim off mature stems and leaves, keeping only the
tender portions. Tie into a bundle with string. If using asparagus, snap off the
tough ends.
Bring plenty of water to a rolling boil in a wok. Add the peanut oil. Drop in
the vegetables, return the water to the boil and cook for 2 minutes or until the
Chinese broccoli or asparagus are tender but still crisp.
Lift the vegetables out of the water onto a board and cut into bite-sized
lengths. Arrange on a serving dish. Discard the cooking water.
Put 3 tablespoons of water in the wok, stir in the oyster sauce and sugar
and bring to a boil. Pour over the vegetables and serve right away.
160
Sichuan Eggplant
This dish is almost like a relish, and may be served hot or cold with steamed
rice and other dishes. The eggplant keeps well in a glass jar in the refrigerator.
Serves 6 as a side dish
1 kg (2 lb) eggplant
Sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon chilli oil
2 teaspoons chilli sauce
Cut the stems off the eggplant and discard. Wash and dry the eggplant well.
Cut in half lengthways, then into thick slices. Divide the slices into 5 cm
(2 in) lengths.
Heat some peanut oil in a wok and fry the eggplant in 2 batches on high
heat, turning them so they are browned on all sides. Lift out with a slotted
spoon and drain on absorbent paper. When all the eggplant pieces have been
fried, set them aside to cool. The oil may be strained and used again. Leave
about 1 tablespoon of oil in the wok.
Combine all the sauce ingredients, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Heat oil in wok and fry the ginger and garlic, stirring until they are golden.
Add the sauce mixture, bring to a boil, then return the eggplant and cook over
a high heat, turning the eggplant until most of the sauce is absorbed. Transfer
to a serving dish as soon as cooking is completed. Serve warm or cold.
162
Almond Bean Curd
This only looks like bean curd, but is a simply made, refreshing dessert
to follow a Chinese meal.
Serves 6
1 litre (2 pints/4 cups) water
4 teaspoons powdered agar-agar
1 x 400 ml (13 fl oz) sweetened condensed milk
1–2 teaspoons almond essence
Put the water in a saucepan, sprinkle agar-agar over the surface and bring to
the boil. Simmer and stir until the agar-agar is completely dissolved. Remove
from the heat, add the condensed milk and almond essence and stir well.
Pour into a large, shallow glass dish to cool and set. Agar-agar will set without
refrigeration but the dessert benefits from being chilled.
To serve, cut into cubes or diamond shapes and serve either on its own or
with fruit such as canned longans or lychees, or small melon balls.
163
Curry Powders
and Pastes
Curry Powders or curry pastes? It Unless you’re a dab hand with

depends on you and how much time the mortar and pestle (stout and
you have to spend preparing meals. heavy, not one of those dainty little
The advantage of using powders ornamental things), a powerful
is that they don’t have to be refrig- electric blender is the best way
erated. Just keep them in airtight to achieve fresh-tasting curry
glass jars, out of sunlight. The pastes which offer the rewards of
disadvantage of using powders is making them yourself. No MSG,
that when you prepare a meal you no artificial colours, no preservatives.
still have to chop the onions, garlic You have total quality control. A food
and ginger and cook them very processor does not get quite as fine
slowly and thoroughly before you a result as a blender, but may be
add the spices. used if no blender is available.
When you’ve taken the time Store the paste in an absolutely
to make the pastes, the actual clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
preparation of the meal is much in the refrigerator. Once you have
quicker because they already tasted the results of these recipes
contain the onion, garlic, ginger, you will probably never be satisfied
lemongrass, galangal and other with commercial products.
fresh ingredients.
165
A Note about Charmaine Solomon’s
Spice Blends
Our curry pastes and marinades have that home-made aroma and flavour that
comes from a carefully balanced blend of top-quality ingredients.
Aware of how little time people have to spend preparing meals, my
husband, Reuben, and I have become enthusiastic makers and users of curry
pastes. Why don’t we just buy them? The answer is simple—we can’t find
ones that taste right. The pastes and marinades sold under our names are
made to the same recipes I’m offering you in this book. They are bottled at a
high temperature, which guarantees shelf life without refrigeration until the
jar is opened. This temperature cannot be reached without a commercial
steam-jacketed kettle.
Always store your freshly made paste, or an opened jar of our paste, in the
refrigerator. Use a clean dry spoon to remove what you need, and the rest of
the paste should stay perfectly good for at least three months.
Quick Smart Ideas

Once you’ve made up a supply of curry pastes, or have purchased our pastes,
there are many ways you can use them apart from the recipes in this book or
those on the label. Here are some ideas to start you off.
Thai Chicken Cakes

Stir 1 tablespoon Thai Red Curry Paste into 3 tablespoons coconut milk and
mix into 500 g minced chicken. Add a tablespoon of chopped basil or a few
shreds of kaffir lime leaf. Take teaspoonfuls and roll into balls. Grill under a
preheated griller or pan-fry in a heavy pan sprayed with olive oil. Or heat just
enough oil to cover the base of the pan. Fry on moderate heat until golden all
over. For a low-fat version, drop them into non-stick mini-muffin pans and
bake in a moderately hot oven for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room
temperature with a sweet chilli sauce for dipping.
Thai Stir-fried Noodles

Add a generous tablespoon of Thai Red Curry Paste to 2 tablespoons of oil in
which sliced vegetables, meat or chicken are to be fried. Add cooked, drained
bean starch noodles, toss, and distribute the curry paste evenly through the
dish. Scatter chopped spring onions or coriander on top.
166 Spicy Roast Chicken
Rub a roasting chicken or chicken thigh cutlets with Butter Chicken Marinade
or Pepper, Garlic and Coriander Paste. Leave for 30 minutes, or overnight in
the refrigerator. Roast in a moderately hot oven until done. Serve with crusty
bread and salad, or steamed rice and vegetables.
Stir-fried Vegetables
Slice mushrooms or other vegetables and stir-fry in a tablespoon of oil mixed
with a tablespoon of one of the curry pastes. Cover and cook for a few
minutes.
Stuffed Calamari Tubes

Mix 2 teaspoons Thai Green Curry Paste into 750 g minced pork. Fill calamari
tubes. Fasten opening with wooden toothpicks, cover and cook over gentle
heat until tender. Cool to room temperature, slice and serve.
Quick Mulligatawny
Prepared stock in the freezer is an asset to the cook in a hurry. Stir 2
tablespoons Korma Paste or Sri Lanka Curry Paste into 1 litre strong beef or
chicken stock and heat through. Add ½–1 cup coconut milk, check seasoning
and add salt or lemon juice if necessary.
Galloping Horses
In 2 tablespoons peanut oil, fry 2 tablespoons Pepper, Garlic and Coriander
Paste or 2 tablespoons Charmaine Solomon’s Thai Barbecue Marinade on low
heat until fragrant. Add 500 g minced pork and continue to stir-fry until
browned. Add ¼ cup each crushed roasted peanuts and fish sauce, 2
tablespoons palm sugar and 2 chopped red chillies. Cook until no liquid
remains. Cool. Put a teaspoon of this mixture on bite-sized pieces of fruit
(pineapple, mango or star fruit are suitable). Serve at room temperature. Ideal
for parties, as this makes about 50.
Spicy Lamburgers
Add flavour to a burger by mixing 1 tablespoon Korma Paste (see page 98) to
every 500 g minced lean lamb. Form into patties and cook over a barbecue,
under a grill, or in a lightly oiled frying pan.
Pork Balls with Egg Noodles

Mix 2 tablespoons Thai Red or Green Curry Paste with 750 g minced pork.
Form into balls and shallow fry until brown, then add ½ cup water, cover and
cook until no longer pink in the centre. Cook egg noodles in boiling salted
water, drain well, add to pan with pork balls and mix gently together, stirring
in a little extra curry paste or chilli sauce if liked. Serve hot.
Quick Spring Rolls

Mix 1 tablespoon curry paste or Pepper, Coriander and Garlic Paste (or use my 167
Thai Barbecue Marinade) with 250 g pork mince. Shape spoonfuls into
cylinders and wrap in small spring roll pastry squares, turning in the sides to
enclose. When all are made, deep fry in hot oil until golden. Drain on kitchen
paper towels and serve with Nuoc Cham (see page 37).
Ground Spice Mix
Garam Masala
There is more than one version of garam masala, some only using fragrant
spices and others including pepper. A freshly made garam masala is so
superior to any commercial variety that I strongly urge the keen cook to make
some and store it airtight and out of direct sunlight. It will keep its flavour
and fragrance for months.
Makes about ½ cup
4 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons cardamom seeds
4 small cinnamon quills
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 whole nutmeg
In a small pan roast separately the different seeds until they smell fragrant,
shaking the pan or stirring constantly. The larger seeds such as coriander will
take longer than the slender seeds of cumin. As soon as each one is done,
turn onto a plate to cool.
After roasting, peel the cardamom, discard the pods and use only the seeds.
Roasting not only brings out the flavours but also makes the spices easier to
grind. Put all the spices except the nutmeg into a blender and grind to a fine
powder, or pound in a mortar and pestle. Finely grate the nutmeg and mix in.
Store in an airtight container.
Note: To peel cardamom pods, first bruise them with the pestle so they split,
making it easier to do this chore without ruining your nails.
168
Sri Lanka Curry Powder
The spices for Sri Lankan curries are dark roasted until about the colour of
coffee. Because the spice seeds are of varying sizes they must be roasted
separately, otherwise some would burn in the time it takes to cook the others.
Makes about 1 cup
90 g (3 oz) coriander seeds
45 g (1 ½ oz) cumin seeds
30 g (1 oz) fennel seeds
15 g ( ½ oz) fenugreek seeds
1 cinnamon quill, about 5 cm (2 in)
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
2 tablespoons dried curry leaves
2 teaspoons chilli powder
1 tablespoon ground rice
Roast each of the spice seeds separately in a dry pan over low heat, stirring
constantly until each one becomes a fairly dark brown. Do not let them burn.
Put this mixture into a blender with the cinnamon, broken into pieces, the
cloves, cardamom seeds and curry leaves. Blend on high speed to make a fine
powder. If your blender is not powerful enough, use a sturdy mortar and
pestle to achieve the results. Combine with the chilli powder and ground rice
and store in an airtight jar. Use 2 level tablespoons of powder to each 500 g
(1 lb) main ingredient.
169
Whole Seed Mix
Panch Phora
‘Panch’ means five in Hindi and panch phora is a combination of five different
aromatic seeds. These are used whole, and when fried in oil at the start of a
dish, impart an exquisite flavour.
Makes about ¾ cup
2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons nigella seeds (kalonji)
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
Put all the seeds into a glass jar with a well-fitting lid. Shake before use to
ensure even distribution, as the heavier seeds tend to sink to the bottom.
170
Pepper, Garlic and
Coriander Paste
For anyone who enjoys the flavour of Thai food, this basic flavouring is useful
to have in the refrigerator, instead of having to make it each time it is needed.
Makes about 1 cup
about 200 g (7 oz) fresh coriander leaves, stems and roots
2 teaspoons salt
1–2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
Wash the coriander well, paying particular attention to the roots, which are
usually sandy. Chop coarsely and measure about 2 cups, including roots.
Crush the garlic to a smooth paste with the salt.
Roast the peppercorns in a dry pan, stirring constantly, for a minute or
until they smell fragrant. Crush coarsely in a mortar and pestle, add the
coriander and pound to a paste. Mix in the garlic and lemon juice. Store the
paste in a clean, dry screw-top jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Use a
clean, dry spoon each time you take some.
172
Red Curry Paste
See pages 166 and 167 for other ways to use this paste.
Makes about 1 cup
Dried Spices
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons paprika
Fresh Ingredients
10 fresh or dried red chillies
10 small purple shallots or 2 small brown onions, roughly chopped
50 g (1 ½ oz) galangal, fresh or in brine, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped coriander roots and pale coriander stems
2 teaspoons dried shrimp paste
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) vegetable oil
Lightly toast the spices in a dry pan to bring out the flavours (it also makes
grinding them easier). Toast the coriander seeds until fragrant, transfer to a
plate. Toast the cumin seeds—they will be done in less time than the
coriander as they are much smaller. Add to the coriander. Lightly toast the
peppercorns. Grind all three to powder in a mortar and pestle or blender.
Combine with the paprika and turmeric.
Seed the chillies if you do not wish the paste to be too hot. If using dried
chillies, soak them in about 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) hot water for 10 minutes.
Put into a powerful electric blender with the soaking water and add the
shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal and coriander roots and stems. Remove
and discard the tough mid-rib of the kaffir lime leaves, and put the leaves and
zest into the blender.
Wrap the shrimp paste tightly in foil and toast under a hot griller for
2 minutes on each side then unwrap and add to the blender. Add the
vegetable oil and ground spices and blend until smooth. The paste may be 173
stored in a bottle in the refrigerator for 3 months, or divided into convenient-
sized portions and frozen.
To make meal preparation even easier and quicker, heat an extra
2 tablespoons of oil and gently cook the spice blend, stirring constantly, until
it is bubbling and fragrant. This way, it is already cooked and mellowed when
you come to use it. Bottle it hot or after it has cooled.
Green Curry Paste
A green curry can be devastatingly hot if prepared the traditional way, using
bird’s eye chillies. I prefer to use the longer, larger green chillies which deliver
less heat, and add just 2–3 of the small bird’s eye chillies. When seeding or
slicing chillies, use disposable gloves to protect your hands.
Makes about 1 cup
6 large green chillies and 2 bird’s eye chillies
½ cup sliced purple shallots or 1 medium-sized brown onion, chopped
1 cup chopped coriander leaves, stems and well-washed roots
¼ cup finely sliced lemongrass, white portion only, or zest of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons chopped galangal, fresh or in brine
2 teaspoons freshly ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground black peppercorns
Remove stems and roughly chop the chillies.
2 minutes on each side and add to the blender.
Put all the ingredients into an electric blender and blend to a purée. Add a
little extra oil or water if necessary to make blending easier. Store the paste in
a clean, dry screw-top jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Use a clean,
dry spoon each time you take some.
174
Tom Yum Paste
The tom yum of Thailand is based on flavours like those incorporated in this
hot and sour soup paste. Use 2 tablespoons paste in 750 ml (24 fl oz/3 cups)
of prawn or chicken stock. Shelled and deveined prawns are cooked in the
stock until done.
Makes about 375 ml (12 fl oz/1½ cups)
125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) vegetable oil
2 teaspoons chilli powder
½ cup small dried shrimp
½ cup finely sliced lemongrass, white portion only, or zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped coriander roots
10 whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon finely chopped galangal, fresh or in brine
4 fresh red chillies, seeded
4 fresh green chillies, seeded
8 fresh kaffir lime leaves, mid-rib removed
1 tablespoon dried shrimp paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon citric acid
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
Heat the oil gently in a wok or frying pan. Mix the chilli powder with
1 tablespoon water and cook until the oil turns red. Turn off the heat while
preparing the other ingredients.
Put the dried shrimp into a blender and whiz on high speed until reduced
to a fine floss. Transfer to a bowl.
Put the lemongrass, garlic, coriander roots, peppercorns, galangal, chillies
and kaffir lime leaves into the blender. Add the fish sauce and lime juice and
blend until puréed.
Reheat the chilli oil in the wok and add the puréed mixture. Add the
turmeric, shrimp paste and shrimp floss. Cook, stirring, until the oil separates
and comes to the surface. Cool the mixture before stirring in the sugar, salt,
citric acid and lime zest. Store in a tightly covered glass jar in the refrigerator
175
for up to 3 months, or freeze in 2-tablespoon lots.
Masaman Curry Paste
A paste that shows the influence of Muslim traders, which is why it is named
‘Masaman’. It enjoys great popularity in Thailand, and is a true cross-cultural
dish, blending two great cuisines. The method and ingredients for this paste
are as for Red Curry Paste (see page 173), with the addition of fragrant spices
that are typical of the cooking of India.
Makes about 1 cup
Dried Spices
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon fennel seeds or ground fennel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg or mace
Fresh Ingredients
10 fresh or dried red chillies
10 small purple shallots or 2 small brown onions, roughly chopped
50 g (1 ½ oz) galangal, fresh or in brine, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped coriander roots and pale coriander stems
2 teaspoons dried shrimp paste
60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) vegetable oil
176
Lightly toast the spices in a dry pan to bring out the flavours (it also makes
grinding them easier). Toast the coriander seeds until fragrant, transfer to a
plate. Toast the cumin seeds—they will be done in less time than the
coriander as they are much smaller. Add to the coriander. Lightly toast the
peppercorns. Grind all three to powder in a mortar and pestle or blender.
Combine with the paprika, turmeric, ground fennel, cinnamon, cardamom,
nutmeg and cloves.
Seed the chillies if you do not wish the paste to be too hot. If using dried
chillies, soak them in about 60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) hot water for
10 minutes. Put into a powerful electric blender with the soaking water
and add the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, galangal and coriander roots
and stems.
Remove and discard the tough mid-rib of the kaffir lime leaves, and put the
leaves and zest into the blender.
2 minutes on each side, take out of foil and add paste to the blender. Add the
vegetable oil and ground spices and blend until smooth. The paste may be
stored in a bottle in the refrigerator for 3 months, or divided into convenient-
sized portions and frozen.
To make meal preparation even easier and quicker, heat an extra
2 tablespoons of oil and gently cook the spice blend, stirring constantly, until
it is bubbling and fragrant. This way, it is already cooked and mellowed when
you come to use it. Bottle it hot or after it has cooled. Cap tightly and store in
the refrigerator.
177
Stockists
The Solomon range of curry pastes and marinades is available at major food
halls, specialty stores and delicatessens throughout Australia. The stores listed
below carry a good range of Solomon products.
AUSTRALIA ACT
NSW David Jones Food Halls
David Jones Food Halls Coles Supermarket, Manuka
Simon Johnson, Purveyor of Quality Cooking Coordinates, Lathlain
Foods Street, Belconnen Markets
Coles Supermarkets, selected stores Kitchen Essentials, Manuka
Franklins, selected stores Idelic, Kingston
Anticos Fruit World, Northbridge
Shopping Plaza QUEENSLAND
Leura Gourmet, Leura David Jones Food Halls
Blackheath Deli, Blackheath Executive Chef, Brisbane
Fresh Fruit Palace, Enfield Black Pearl Epicure, Brisbane
Redgate Farm, Hunter Valley Oriental Gourmet Store, Cairns
Gorgeous Grub, Tamworth
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
VICTORIA Myer, Perth
David Jones Food Halls The Grocer, Nedlands
Foodchain, Brighton Claremont Fresh, Claremont
Simon Johnson, Purveyor of Quality Tony Ale, Applecross
Foods Dewsons, Duncraig
Coles Supermarkets, selected stores The Urban Bean, Margaret River
Daimaru
Myer Melbourne UNITED KINGDOM
Let’s Eat, Prahran J. Sainsbury stores, nationally
The French Shop, Queen Victoria
Market, Melbourne UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Pete ’n’ Rosie’s Deli, Prahran Market Dean and Deluca, New York
SOUTH AUSTRALIA CANADA

David Jones Food Halls Urban Fare stores, Vancouver and
Bottega Rotolo, Norwood Edmonton
178 SWITZERLAND
Globus Supermarkets, nationally
Index
Almond Bean Curd 163 Burmese Chicken Curry with Burmese Curry of Beef with
Amétha Net Aloo Hin (Burmese Noodles 24 Potatoes 25
Curry of Beef with Butter Chicken 97 Burmese Pork Curry 26
Potatoes) 25 Butter Chicken Marinade 172 Chickpea Curry 86
Curry Laksa (Laksa
Balinese-style Fried Chicken 63 Chicken with Bean Thread Lemak) 48–9
Banana Raita 89 Vermicelli 32 Dry-fried Pork Curry 111
Barbecued Garlic Chicken 18 Chicken and Cabbage Salad 33 Goan Pork Vindaloo 104
Barbecued Pork Spareribs 154 Chicken in Coconut Milk 62 Kofta Curry 100
bean curd Chicken and Coconut Soup Masaman Curry of Beef 20
Almond Bean Curd 163 with Galangal (Tom Kha Peas and Fresh Cheese 82–3
Grandmother’s Bean Curd 158 Gai) 4 Sri Lanka Chicken Curry 110
beef Chicken in Pandan Leaves 16 Sri Lanka Prawn Curry 107
Beef with Crushed Sesame Country Captain 109 Thai Eggplant Curry 21
Seeds and Bamboo Grilled Chicken with Teriyaki Thai Green Curry of Fish 14
Shoots 36 Marinade 121 Thai Red Curry of
Beef Rendang 64 Hainan Chicken Rice 146–7 Prawns 15
Beef and Rice Noodle Soup Honey-glazed Chicken 148 curry pastes/powders
(Pho) 34–5 Red-cooked Chicken 150 Green Curry Paste 174
Beef with Sesame Sauce Rice with Chicken and Masaman Curry Paste 176–7
(Shabu Shabu) 123 Mushrooms 120 Red Curry Paste 173
Burmese Curry of Beef with Saffron Chicken 96 Sri Lanka Curry Powder 169
Potatoes 25 Spicy Chicken Soup 41
Korean Barbecued Beef 129 Spicy Roast Chicken 166–7 desserts
Masaman Curry of Beef 20 Sri Lanka Chicken Curry 110 Almond Bean Curd 163
Stir-fried Beef in Black Bean Tandoori-style Chicken 95 Black Rice Porridge 69
Sauce 152 Thai Chicken Cakes 166 Moulded Sago Pudding 68
Stir-fried Mixture 128 White-cut Chicken 149 Dhal 77
Sukiyaki 122 Chickpea Curry 86 dips
Biriani 80–1 Chilli and Dried Prawn Eggplant Dip 7
Black Bean Sauce 152 Sambal 90 Shrimp Dip 7
Black Rice Porridge (Pulut Chilli Crab 58 Dry-fried Pork Curry 111
Hitam) 69 Chilli Fried Rice (Khao Pad duck
Braised Ginger Crab 142 Prik) 12 Roast Duck with Chinese
Braised Mushrooms 159 Chilli-fried Squid 143 Flavours 151
Buckwheat Noodles Chirashi Sushi 115
(Soba) 119 chutneys Eggplant Dip (Nam Prik
Bulgogi (Korean Barbecued Coconut and Herb Chutney 88 Makua) 7
Beef) 129 Coriander Chutney 88 eggs
Burmese Chicken Curry with Green Chutney 92 Spicy Scambled Eggs, Parsi
Noodles (Panthé Mint Chutney 88 Style 91
Kaukswé) 24 Cloud Swallows (Wonton) 134
Burmese Curry of Beef with coconut fish
Potatoes (Amétha Net Aloo Chicken and Coconut Soup Burmese Fish Soup with
Hin) 25 with Galangal 4 Noodles 22–3
Burmese Fish Soup with Noodles Coconut and Herb Chutney 88 Chirashi Sushi 115
(Moh Hin Gha) 22–3 Coconut Rice (Nasi Lemak) 56 Fish with Green Chutney
Burmese Pork Curry (Wethani Coconut Sambal 90 (Patrani Machchi) 92
Kyet) 26 Pumpkin and Coconut Soup 5 Fish Molee 108
Butter Chicken (Murgh coconut milk Fried Fish with Hot
Makhani) 97 Chicken in Coconut Milk 62 Seasonings 144
Vegetables in Coconut Raw Fish 118
Cha Gio (Vietnamese Fried Milk 66 Sushi with Raw Fish 117
Spring Rolls) 28 Coriander Chutney 88 Sushi Wapped in Nori 117
Chap Chye (Stir-fried Country Captain 109 Thai Green Curry of Fish 14
Mixture) 128
Char Kway Teow (Fried Fresh
Rice Noodles) 54
Crisp Rice Noodles (Mee
Grob) 10
Crisp-fried Pork with Sweet and
fish cakes
Fish Cakes in Banana Leaves
(Otak Otak) 46
179
Chiang Mai Salad (Larb) 19 Sour Sauce 156–7 Thai Fish Cakes 6
chicken Cucumber Raita 89 Fresh Rice Paper Rolls 29
Balinese-style Fried curries Fresh Wheat Noodles 135
Chicken 63 Burmese Chicken Curry with Fried Fish with Hot
Barbecued Garlic Chicken 18 Noodles 24 Seasonings 144
Fried Fresh Rice Noodles (Char Lettuce Wraps (Sang Choy Pad Thai (Stir-fried Rice
Kway Teow) 54 Bao) 133 Noodles) 8
Fried Noodles (Mee Pad Woon Sen (Stir-fried Bean
Goreng) 50 Ma Po Dou Fu (Grandmother’s Starch Noodles) 11
Fried Rice 132 Bean Curd) 158 pancakes, Nine
Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng) 55 Masaman Curry of Beef 20 Varieties 126–7
Masaman Curry Paste 176–7 Panch Phora (Whole Seed
Gado Gado (Vegetables with Mattar Panir (Peas and Fresh Mix) 170
Peanut Sauce) 44 Cheese) 82–3 Panthé Kaukswé (Burmese
Galloping Horses 167 meat see beef; lamb; pork Chicken Curry with
Garam Masala (Ground Spice Mee Goreng (Fried Noodles) 24
Mix) 168 Noodles) 50 pastes
Ghee Rice 106 Mee Grob (Crisp Rice Pepper, Garlic and Coriander
Goan Pork Vindaloo 104 Noodles) 10 Paste 172
Grandmother’s Bean Curd (Ma Mee Siam (Rice Noodles in Spicy Tom Yum Paste 175
Po Dou Fu) 158 Gravy) 52–3 see also curry pastes
Green Chutney 92 Mint Chutney 88 Patrani Machchi (Fish with
Green Curry Paste 174 Moh Hin Gha with Noodles Green Chutney) 92
Green Vegetables in Oyster (Burmese Fish Soup) 22–3 Peanut Sauce 45
Sauce 160 Moulded Sago Pudding (Gula Peas and Fresh Cheese (Mattar
Greens with Shrimp Paste 65 Melaka) 68 Panir) 82–3
Grilled Chicken with Teriyaki Mulligatawny 74–5 Pepper Water (Rasam) 73
Marinade 121 Murgh Makhani (Butter Pepper, Garlic and Coriander
Ground Spice Mix (Garam Chicken) 97 Paste 172
Masala) 168 Pho (Beef and Rice Noodle
Guchulpan (Nine Varieties) Nam Prik (Shrimp Dip) 7 Soup) 34–5
126–7 Nam Prik Makua (Eggplant pork
Gula Melaka (Moulded Sago Dip) 7 Barbecued Pork Spareribs 154
Pudding) 68 Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice) 55 Burmese Pork Curry 26
Nasi Kuning (Spicy Yellow Crisp-fried Pork with Sweet
Hainan Chicken Rice 146–7 Rice) 57 and Sour Sauce 156–7
herbs Nasi Lemak (Coconut Dry-fried Pork Curry 111
Coconut and Herb Chutney 88 Rice) 56 Galloping Horses 167
Green Chutney 92 Nine Varieties Goan Pork Vindaloo 104
Mint or Coriander Chutney 88 (Guchulpan) 126–7 Japanese Pork Cutlet 124
Pepper, Garlic and Coriander noodles Pork Balls with Egg
Paste 172 Beef and Rice Noodle Noodles 167
Honey-glazed Chicken 148 Soup 34–5 Pork in Chilli Bean Sauce 155
Hot and Sour Prawn Soup (Tom Buckwheat Noodles 119 Spring Rain Noodles with
Yum Goong) 3 Burmese Chicken Curry with Pork 136
Hot Prawn Sambal (Sambal Noodles 24 Pot Stickers 138–9
Udang Asam) 60 Burmese Fish Soup with prawns
Noodles 22–3 Curry Laksa 48–9
Japanese Pork Cutlet Chicken with Bean Thread Hot Prawn Sambal 60
(Tonkatsu) 124 Vermicelli 32 Hot and Sour Prawn Soup 3
Crisp Rice Noodles 10 Prawn Toast 141
Khao Pad Prik (Chilli Fried Fresh Wheat Noodles 135 Shrimp on Sugar Cane
Rice) 12 Fried Fresh Rice Noodles 54 Sticks 31
Kitchri (Spiced Rice and Fried Noodles 50 Sri Lanka Prawn Curry 107
Lentils) 76 Pork Balls with Egg Stir-fried Prawns in Shells 61
Kofta Curry 100 Noodles 167 Thai Red Curry of Prawns 15
Korean Barbecued Beef Rice Noodles in Spicy Pulut Hitam (Black Rice
(Bulgogi) 129 Gravy 52–3 Porridge) 69
Soft-fried Noodles 135 Pumpkin and Coconut Soup 5
Laksa Lemak (Curry Spring Rain Noodles with
Laksa) 48–9 Pork 136 Quick Mulligatawny 167
lamb Stir-fried Bean Starch Quick short ideas 166–7
Kofta Curry 100 Noodles 11 Quick Spring Rolls 167
Lamb Korma 98–9 Stir-fried Mixture 128
Roast Leg of Lamb Kashmiri Stir-fried Rice Noodles 8 Raan (Roast Leg of Lamb
180 Style 102–3

Spicy Lamburgers 167
Larb (Chiang Mai Salad) 19
Thai Stir-fried Noodles 166
Wheat and Egg Noodles 135
Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese
Kashmiri Style) 102–3
raitas
Banana Raita 89
lentils Dipping Sauce) 37 Cucumber Raita 89
Dhal 77 Rasam (Pepper Water) 73
Spiced Rice and Lentils 76 Onion Sambal 89 Raw Fish (Sashimi) 118
Sri Lanka-style Lentils 105 Otak Otak (Fish Cakes in Banana Red Curry Paste 173
Vegetable and Lentil Soup 78 Leaves) 46 Red-cooked Chicken 150
rice Sesame Sauce 123 sushi
Biriani 80–1 Shabu Shabu (Beef with Sesame Chirashi Sushi 115
Black Rice Porridge 69 Sauce) 123 Sushi Wapped in Nori 117
Chilli Fried Rice 12 Shrimp Dip (Nam Prik) 7 Sushi with Raw Fish 117
Coconut Rice 56 Shrimp on Sugar Cane Sticks 31 Sushi Rice 116–17
Fried Rice 132 Sichuan Eggplant 162 Sweet and Sour Sauce 156–7
Fried Rice (Nasi Goreng) 55 Soba (Buckwheat Noodles) 119
Ghee Rice 106 Soft-fried Noodles 135 Tandoori-style Chicken 95
Hainan Chicken Rice 146–7 Soto Ayam (Spicy Chicken Teriyaki Marinade 121
Rice with Chicken and Soup) 41 Thai Chicken Cakes 166
Mushrooms 120 soups Thai Eggplant Curry 21
Rice Congee 131 Beef and Rice Noodle Thai Fish Cakes 6
Spiced Rice and Lentils 76 Soup 34–5 Thai Green Curry of Fish 14
Spicy Yellow Rice 57 Burmese Fish Soup with Thai Red Curry of Prawns 15
Steamed Rice 130 Noodles 22–3 Thai Seafood Salad 13
Sushi Rice 116–17 Chicken and Coconut Soup Thai Stir-fried Noodles 166
Rice Noodles in Spicy Gravy with Galangal 4 Thai-style Dips and Crudites 7
(Mee Siam) 52–3 Hot and Sour Prawn Soup 3 Tom Kha Gai (Chicken and
Roast Duck with Chinese Mulligatawny 74–5 Coconut Soup with
Flavours 151 Pepper Water 73 Galangal) 4
Roast Leg of Lamb Kashmiri Pumpkin and Coconut Soup 5 Tom Yum Goong (Hot and Sour
Style (Raan) 102–3 Quick Mulligatawny 167 Prawn Soup) 3
Spicy Chicken Soup 41 Tom Yum Paste 175
Saffron Chicken 96 Tom Yum Paste 175 Tonkatsu (Japanese Pork
salads Vegetable and Lentil Soup 78 Cutlet) 124
Chiang Mai Salad 19 spice blends
Chicken and Cabbage Salad 33 Ground Spice Mix (Garam vegetables
Thai Seafood Salad 13 Masala) 168 Braised Mushrooms 159
sambals Spiced Rice and Lentils Greens with Shrimp Paste 65
Chilli and Dried Prawn (Kitchri) 76 Green Vegetables in Oyster
Sambal 90 Spicy Chicken Soup (Soto Sauce 160
Coconut Sambal 90 Ayam) 41 Sichuan Eggplant 162
Hot Prawn Sambal (Sambal Spicy Clams 94 Spicy Potatoes 84
Udang Asam) 60 Spicy Lamburgers 167 Spicy Stir-fried Cauliflower 85
Onion Sambal 89 Spicy Potatoes 84 Stir-fried Vegetables 167
Sambar (Vegetable and Lentil Spicy Roast Chicken 166–7 Thai Eggplant Curry 21
Soup) 78 Spicy Satays 42–3 Thai-style Dips and Crudites 7
Samosas 87 Spicy Scambled Eggs, Parsi Vegetables in Coconut Milk
sandwiches, Vietnamese 30 Style 91 (Sayur Lodeh) 66
Sang Choy Bao (Lettuce Spicy Stir-fried Cauliflower 85 Vegetable and Lentil Soup
Wraps) 133 Spicy Yellow Rice (Nasi (Sambar) 78
Sashimi (Raw Fish) 118 Kuning) 57 Vegetables with Peanut Sauce
satays, Spicy 42–3 Spring Rain Noodles with (Gado Gado) 44
sauces Pork 136 Vegetable Samosas 87
Black Bean Sauce 152 spring rolls Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
Chilli Bean Sauce 155 Fresh Rice Paper Rolls 29 (Nuoc Cham) 37
Peanut Sauce 45 Quick Spring Rolls 167 Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls
Sesame Sauce 123 Vietnamese Dipping Sauce 28 (Cha Gio) 28
Sweet and Sour Sauce 156–7 Vietnamese Fried Spring Vietnamese Sandwiches 30
Vietnamese Dipping Sauce 37 Rolls 29
Sayur Lodeh (Vegetables in Sri Lanka Chicken Curry 110 Wethani Kyet (Burmese Pork
Coconut Milk) 66 Sri Lanka Curry Powder 169 Curry) 26
seafood Sri Lanka Prawn Curry 107 Wheat and Egg Noodles 135
Braised Ginger Crab 142 Sri Lanka-style Lentils 105 White-cut Chicken 149
Chilli Crab 58 Steamed Rice 130 Whole Seed Mix (Panch
Chilli-fried Squid 143 Steamed Scallops 140 Phora) 170
Chirashi Sushi 115 Stir-fried Bean Starch Noodles Wonton (Cloud Swallows) 134
Spicy Clams 94 (Pad Woon Sen) 11
Steamed Scallops 140 Stir-fried Beef in Black Bean
Stuffed Calamari Tubes 167 Sauce 152
Thai Seafood Salad 13
see also fish; prawns
seed mix
Stir-fried Mixture (Chap Chye)
128
Stir-fried Prawns in Shells 61
181
Whole Seed Mix 170 Stir-fried Rice Noodles (Pad
sesame seeds Thai) 8
Beef with Crushed Sesame Stir-fried Vegetables 167
Seeds and Bamboo Stuffed Calamari Tubes 167
Shoots 36 Sukiyaki 122

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Charmaine Solomon’s

Praise for Charmaine Solomon’s Thai Cookbook

Praise for The Complete Asian Cookbook

‘More than a million copies of Charmaine Solomon’s Complete Asian Cookbook

Praise for The Encyclopedia of Asian Food

Illustrations by Verity Prideaux • Photography by Greg Elms

Conversion Tables • viii

All over the world, tastebuds have in each country’s repertoire.

Among the similarities in the food preparing a Burmese curry. Fresh

Black peppercorns Noodles, dried

Shrimp Dip (Nam Prik)

Eggplant Dip (Nam Prik Makua)

The culinary boundaries between of Singapore. Nonyas, (also known

Bean sauce Five-spice powder

Basmati Rice Garam Masala (see page •••)

¼ cup fried almonds

Coconut and Herb Chutney

Chilli and Dried Prawn Sambal

Opposite page: Lamb Korma (see page 98)

Bamboo shoots (preferably winter Oyster sauce

Sushi Wrapped in Nori

Fresh Wheat Noodles

Curry Powders or curry pastes? It Unless you’re a dab hand with

Quick Smart Ideas

Thai Chicken Cakes

Thai Stir-fried Noodles

Stuffed Calamari Tubes

Pork Balls with Egg Noodles

Quick Spring Rolls

SOUTH AUSTRALIA CANADA

180 Style 102–3

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