For a more intimate summer lunch, I shall stand at the kitchen table and chop lemongrass and garlic, spring onions and soft, green spring cabbage, then toss them with fat, wild prawns in a very hot pan. A splash of soy and fish sauce, this is the sort of special dish that always seems better when cooked just for two. The prawns, fat and sweet, are a rare treat. There is an excellent list of suggested pantry items which helps when shopping at an Asian grocery store. Many of the recipes, however, call for ingredients that most already have in or fridge, freezer, or on our pantry shelves. The recipes are preceded by a paragraph or two with information, notes and tips, giving readers insight on the culture connected with the recipes. This is not only helpful, but also fascinating. The cookbook is well-written and the recipes are laid out in the traditional manner with the ingredients listed first followed by step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow. Replace the pork with 300g firm tofu (patted dry and crumbled), and increase the mushrooms to 300g. Cook the tofu and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons oil on a high heat until lightly browned, and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon oil and cook the shallots, carrots, garlic and ginger on a medium-high heat, stirring, for about 4 minutes. To make the caramel, melt the golden syrup and sugar together in a small heavy-based saucepan on a medium-low heat. Swirl the ingredients in the pan together, rather than stirring them. Once the sugar has dissolved and the caramel starts bubbling, continue cooking on a gentle simmer until it begins to bubble and foam, about 3–5 minutes in total. If there are only a couple of us I will still make cake – it makes a pleasing weekend breakfast bake. Spring cabbage, prawns and lime (pictured above)

A Splash of Soy A recipe from the newly released cookbook, A Splash of Soy

Australia, she says, has always explored playful interpretations of the dishes introduced by the country's immigrant communities. Accordingly, A Splash of Soy is not a homage to authenticity but features recipes that retain traditional flavour combinations with simplified technique and fun twists. Toast the coconut in a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat for about 2 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until golden. Transfer the coconut to a plate. Lara Lee is a rising star of the international food scene. This book builds on her breakout debut Indonesian cookbook, Coconut and Sambal, to explore the incredible contrast of sweet, salty, umami, sour and spicy flavours across Asia. --------'Simple, beautiful food to electrify the tastebuds' Meera Sodha'Makes me want to head straight into the kitchen' Anna Jones'Every recipe a thrilling adventure for the tastebuds and the imagination' Ixta Belfrage'Eclectic, imaginative and fun - a must-have for every kitchen shelf' Ken Hom Pour half the brownie mixture into the prepared tin. Remove the tamarind caramel from the freezer or fridge and drizzle half of the caramel over the brownie mixture in the tin. Cover with the remaining brownie mixture and smooth the surface with a spatula. Drizzle with the remaining caramel, covering the surface as evenly as possible.

To serve, scoop 2 large spoonful’s of the mixture into each lettuce cup, top with curly spring onions and serve with lime wedges. Wipe out the pan and heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add the prawns in a single layer and cook for 1–2 minutes each side, or until they are just cooked through. Remove and set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Lara Lee is a rising star of the international food scene. This book builds on her breakout debut Indonesian cookbook, Coconut and Sambal, to explore the incredible contrast of sweet, salty, umami, sour and spicy flavours across Asia.

A Splash of Soy - Bloomsbury Publishing A Splash of Soy - Bloomsbury Publishing

Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until cooked but gooey in the middle. Test with a skewer; there should still be a few moist crumbs on the skewer when inserted into the centre of the brownie, or a very slight smear of brown goo, but you don’t want wet batter. Sprinkle over a large pinch of sea salt while the brownie is still hot from the oven.

Stir in most of the toasted coconut and cashews, reserving a little of each for garnish, and return the prawns to the pan. Toss everything together. Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with the remaining coconut and cashews. I like how you can choose how long the cooking time you have for many of the recipes and that some only require a kettle: that would be perfect for university students in residence trying to save money on a food plan. (I know of big eaters that have gone through their entire food plan’s money in a month and still have a long way to go to December…when it’s a card that you swipe, it doesn’t seem like real money until the account is empty and they show up at our library food bank!) A caller on Milk Street Radio was wondering just that when she recently came to hosts Sara Moulton and Christopher Kimball, perplexed by this sort of culinary shorthand. How should she decode the imprecise measurements she often sees in recipes? Heat another tablespoon oil in the wok or pan, still over a medium heat. Add the garlic and chillies and cook, stirring continuously, for 3–4 minutes, until the chillies have softened and are starting to wrinkle.

A Splash of Soy: Everyday Food from Asia, by Lara Lee - Sous Chef

Peel the ginger and grate it finely. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Remove the outer leaves of the lemongrass, then very finely slice the inner leaves. Finely chop the chillies, removing the seeds if you wish. (They will add a little extra heat if left in.) Shred the spring onions finely. Make the marinade by mixing the softened butter, miso, 1 tablespoon of the gochujang, garlic, chilli flakes, vinegar and 1 tablespoon honey together in a bowl with a pinch of salt. A Splash of Soy is full of everyday family recipes you'll love to eat. It is the simplicity and usefulness of soy that this book is named after, an ingredient so impressive it can transform a meal with just a splash. A little espresso powder enhances the spice and caramel notes of the chocolate, because coffee and chocolate share the same flavour characteristics. The addition of macadamias is a nod to my Australian roots; it’s a famous nut down under that is buttery and creamy, adding blissful texture to the fudginess of the brownie (and yes, these brownies are the fudgy kind!). You can substitute the macadamias with most nuts, such as walnuts or pecans. It’s like Italian grandmothers,” Moulton said. “You can never really get them to tell you what they’re doing."To make the salad, peel the cucumber, cut in half lengthways and remove the wet, seedy core. Slice the flesh into pencil-thin pieces and put them in a bowl. Cut the gherkins or cornichons in half lengthwise then add them to the cucumber. Scatter over the bottled green peppercorns.