Falafel wraps with grilled vegetables & salsa

Falafel wraps with grilled vegetables & salsa

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS: 
FOR THE FALAFEL:
1x 400g tin mixed beans
1x 4oog chickpeas

1 lemon

1 tbsp harissa
1 tsp allspice
1 tbsp plain flour
1 bunch fresh coriander
olive oil
FOR THE VEGETABLES:

2 peppers

4 spring onions

FOR THE SALSA:
1 handful tomatoes
1/2- 1 red chilli
1/2 clove garlic
1 lime
TO SERVE:
tortillas
1 tbsp chilli sauce
250g cottage cheese

METHOD:

1. Drain the beans and chickpeas and put them into a food processor with zest of the lemon, a pinch of salt and pepper, the harissa, allspice, flour and coriander stalks. Process until smooth and shape the mixture, using wet hands, into 8 patties of about 1.5cm thickness.

2. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and fry the falafels, turning them over once golden and crisp.

3. Slice or chop the peppers and trim and half the spring onions and cook them in a griddle pan until charred.

4. For the salsa, combine the tomatoes, chilli, garlic, lime juice and half the coriander leaves the in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Season to taste and transfer to a serving dish.

5. Heat the tortillas and drizzle the chilli sauce over the cottage cheese. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the vegetables and serve with the falafels and a sprinkling of the remaining coriander leaves.

Green Crispy Chicken Curry

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS: 
FOR THE CHICKEN:
8 chicken thighs
olive oil
salt and pepper
2tbsp sesame seeds
2tbsp runny honey
FOR THE CURRY SAUCE:
2cm fresh ginger
2 limes
2 red chillies, deseeded
1 bunch fresh coriander
4 cloves garlic
1 stick lemongrass, outer leaves discarded
1 small bunch spring onions
sesame oil
olive oil
300ml chicken stock
200g fine green beans/sugar snap peas
400ml coconut milk
soy sauce
FOR THE NOODLES:
250g rice noodles
1 lime
TO SERVE:
Sweet chilli sauce
lettuce, shredded
soy sauce
a few sprigs of coriander

METHOD:
1. Place one large and one slightly smaller frying pan over a high heat.

2. Place the chicken thighs, skin side down, into the larger frying pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. The chicken will take about 20 minutes to cook through- turn the thighs every minute or so throughout the cooking time.

3. Put a sheet of greaseproof paper over the chicken and position the smaller frying on top. 
Place something heavy into the smaller pan to weight it down, such as a pestle and mortar.

4. Place the ginger, chillies, coriander,  garlic, lemongrass and spring onions in a food processor. Blend to a paste, adding a drizzle of sesame and olive oil as required.

5. Remove the smaller pan and greaseproof paper from the larger pan. Place the smaller pan over a medium heat. Drain away the fat from the large pan and turn the thighs over so they are skin side up. Add the sesame seeds to the smaller pan and toast until golden brown. Transfer the seeds to a small bowl.

6. Drain the fat away from the chicken again, wipe the pan with kitchen paper and reduce the heat. Add two tablespoons of the curry paste and toss to glaze the chicken. Turn the chicken over.

7. Heat the remaining curry paste a saucepan and stir in the chicken stock and green beans or peas. Add the coconut milk and bring to the boil.

8. Put the noodles in a heat proof bowl and cover with freshly boiled water. Once they are soft enough to eat, drain the noodles, rinse under cold water and drizzle with sesame oil, lime juice and a pinch of salt.

9. Once the chicken has cooked through, add the honey and toss, flipping the chicken over so that it is skin side down again.

10. Serve the chicken, noodles and curry sauce with the shredded lettuce, coriander, sesame seeds and chilli sauce and soy sauce.

Duck Legs with Plums and Star Anise

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:
4 duck legs
4tbsp soy sauce
3tsp Chinese five spice
1 handful star anise
½ cinnamon stick
1tbsp olive oil
1-2 red chillies, deseeded and sliced
12 plums, halved and destoned
2tbsp demerara sugar
TO SERVE:
Rice, noodles or pancakes

METHOD:
1. Place the duck legs in a sandwich bag with the soy sauce, five spice, star anise, cinnamon and olive oil and leave to marinate for 2 hours, or up to 2 days.

2. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/mark 3.

3. Place the legs in a casserole dish or deep roasting pan. Place the plums, chillies and sugar at the bottom of the pan and pour the marinade over the top. Mix it all up and arrange it so that the duck legs rest on the top.

4. Place the pan in the oven and leave to cook for 2-2 ½ hours, until the meat falls away from the bone.

Asian Cucumber Salad

Serve with curries, tandooris etc.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:
2cm fresh ginger
1tbsp soy sauce
1tsp sesame oil
juice of 1 lime
1 cucumber
small handful coriander, stalks only
½ red chilli

METHOD:
1. Peel and grate the ginger onto a serving platter and add the soy sauce, sesame oil and lime juice. Peel the cucumber in long ribbons over the platter, discarding the watery core.

2. Finely chop the coriander stalks and sprinkle over the cucumber. Finely chop the chilli and sprinkle over the top, then toss to dress.

Cold Noodles with Peanut-Lime Chicken

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE:
4tbsp fish sauce
4tbsp brown sugar
6tbsp lime juice
2 garlic gloves, crushed
1-2 chillies, finely sliced
FOR THE PEANUT DRESSING:
2tbsp fish sauce
2tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp lime juice
2tbsp soy sauce
1.5 inch chunk ginger
4tbsp peanut butter
2tsp sesame oil
FOR THE CHICKEN NOODLE SALAD:
6 chicken thighs
rice noodles
1 cucumber, finely sliced into quarter-moons
2 carrots, julienned
small handful mint/coriander
small bunch spring onions, finely sliced
small handful peanuts, crushed


METHOD:
1. For the dipping sauce, whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside for 15 minutes.

2. For the peanut dressing, puree all the ingredients together into a smooth sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl.

3. To marinate the chicken, stir together half the dipping sauce and a third of the peanut dressing in a bowl or dish. Add the chicken, toss to coat and leave to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

4. Cook the noodles according to packet instructions, drain once al dente and cool under running water.

5. Grill or fry the chicken until browned and cooked through. Allow to cool a little before chopping into ¾-inch pieces.

6. Dress the vegetables with some of the remaining dipping sauce. Serve the chicken with the noodles and vegetables and garnish with the peanuts, herbs and remaining sauce.

Cod Korma

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp korma paste
4 x 280g cod fillets, skin on
olive oil
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
200ml coconut milk
a few sprigs fresh coriander, leaves picked and stalks finely chopped
½ – 1 red chilli, finely sliced
1 lemon, cut into wedges


METHOD:
1. Spread a tablespoon of korma paste all over the flesh side of the fish fillets. Add a little olive oil to a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the fish, flesh-side down. Cook for 10 minutes, turning halfway once it has coloured.

2. Turn up the heat and add the greener half of the sliced spring onions to the pan with the fish. Stir in the remaining korma paste, coconut milk, coriander stalks and most of the chilli. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes, until the fish starts to flake apart. Add a little lemon juice to the sauce to taste.

Chinese Sticky Scallops with Fluffy Sweet Chilli Rice and Steamed Vegetables

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE SCALLOPS:
400g scallops
2 tsp chinese five spice
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil 
1 chilli, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
small knob of butter
1 tsp runny honey
½ lemon’s juice
FOR THE RICE:
300ml basmati rice
3 eggs
Small bunch spring onions
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
½ lemon’s juice
small bunch coriander
3 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
VEGETABLES:
4 pak choi, halved
200g asparagus
200g purple sprouting broccoli
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp soy sauce
½ lemon’s juice

METHOD:
1. Pour rice and 600ml water into a pan with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. The rice will take around 10 minutes to cook; when it is done, the water will have evaporated to leave fluffy rice- do not allow it to fry.

2. Score the scallops with a sharp knife, making shallow criss-cross grids on one face of each scallop.

3. Put the scallops onto a piece of greaseproof paper. Sprinkle the five spice and drizzle the oils over the scallops. Toss the scallops in the paper to ensure an even coating; set aside while the rice and vegetables are prepared.

4. Chop any hard ends off the vegetables and discard; place the vegetables, soft ends up into a steamer or colander sitting on a saucepan of simmering water. Cover the vegetables with a couple of layers of foil crimped around the colander rim. The vegetables will take about 8 minutes to cook.

5. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, finely sliced spring onions, soy sauce, sesame oil and lemon juice. Turn the heat off the rice and spread pour the egg mixture over the top of the mixture before placing the lid back on the rice

6. To dress the vegetables, pour the olive oil, soy sauce and lemon juice over them while shaking the colander to dress evenly. 

7. Put the scallops into a hot, oiled pan. Add the chilli and after about a minute, add the garlic and butter followed by the honey. Finally pour the lemon juice- the scallops should take a total of about 3 minutes to cook, depending on their size. Continually toss from the beginning to ensure even cooking and coating.

8. Tear some fresh coriander over the rice and serve immediately with the vegetables and scallops.