
Prep the cucumbers: Peel the cucumbers. Cut them into quarters, lengthwise. (If the seeds are bitter, scrape out the seeds and discard.) Cut the cucumbers again, crosswise, into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Toss the salad: Place cucumbers into a serving bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Toss with sesame oil, seasoned rice vinegar, basil (if using), and chili flakes. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if using.

step 1 Sift the flour into a large bowl, make a well in the middle and sprinkle in the yeast. Pour 125ml water over the yeast, then flick flour over the liquid to create a layer. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place for 15 mins until cracks appear on the surface of that layer. step 2 Use your hands to mix in 250ml more water along with 1 tsp salt and knead the dough for about 10 mins until elastic and no longer sticky. Add a little more flour if you need to. Cover and leave to rise again in a warm place for 30 mins until doubled in size. step 3 Heat the oven to as high as it will go (about 240C/220C fan/gas 9) and sprinkle one or two baking trays thinly with cornmeal. step 4 Pour boiling water from the kettle over the tomatoes, leave to stand briefly, then drain and slip off the skins. Cut the tomatoes in half, cut out the stalks, scoop out the seeds and discard, then chop the flesh. step 5 Halve the chillies lengthways, cut out the stalks, seeds and white inner membrane, then rinse. Cut lengthwise into fine strips, then crosswise into fine dice. step 6 Put the tomatoes, chillies, spring onions, finely chopped parsley, beef mince, spices, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper into a bowl and mix well. step 7 Take the dough and knead it briefly, then divide into four pieces and shape each into a ball. Roll each ball into a thin circle, place on the prepared baking trays. Spread with a thin layer of the meat mixture. step 8 Bake each flatbread for 10-15 mins until the edges begin to darken. After removing from the oven, sprinkle the lahmacun with the roughly chopped parsley and sliced onion, then squeeze over a few drops of lemon juice. Serve straightaway.

In a large pot of salted water, cook the potatoes until they are very tender. Drain. With a masher, coarsely crush the potatoes with at least 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of butter. With an electric mixer, purée with the milk. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F). In a large skillet, brown the onion in the remaining butter. Add the meat and cook until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat. Lightly press the meat at the bottom of a 20-cm (8-inch) square baking dish. Cover with the corn and the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with paprika and parsley. Bake for about 30 minutes. Finish cooking under the broiler. Let cool for 10 minutes.

step 1 Combine the yeast, a pinch of the sugar and a couple tablespoons of lukewarm water in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast, then leave for 10 mins until foamy. step 2 Meanwhile, combine the flour, the remaining sugar and 2 tsp fine salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add half the beaten egg, the yeast mixture and the oil. Pour in 200ml lukewarm water (it should feel slightly warm to the touch) and stir with a spoon, then mix using one hand, keeping the other clean while you bring the dough together. If there are a lot of very dry bits, gradually add a little water to just bring it together – you don't want it to get too wet and sticky. The dough should be moist, but not soggy. step 3 Once the dough has come together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead using both hands for 10 mins until smooth and a bit springy. If it gets very sticky, add a very small amount of flour – as little as possible. A dough scraper is useful if the dough is sticking to the work surface. Stretch the sides of the dough down and pull together to form a ball. Lightly oil a bowl, then lightly roll the dough ball around the bowl so it's coated in the oil. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hr, or until dough has doubled in size. step 4 Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into three equal pieces, weighing for accuracy, if you like. Roll each piece into a long sausage shape about 25cm long, tapering them slightly at both ends. Lay the pieces out in front of you, parallel to one another with a couple centimetres between each. Bring the sausages together at the top end, then plait them down the length, tucking in the ends when you reach the bottom. Carefully transfer the loaf to the prepared baking sheet and loosely cover with a clean tea towel. Leave to rise until puffy and billowy, about 40 mins. step 5 Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of each chicken breast with seasoned salt and a pinch of pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the boiling water with a few generous pinches of kosher salt. Add the pasta and give it a stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. Remove the chicken from the pan and transfer it to a cutting board; allow it to rest. Turn the heat down to medium and dd the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and olive oil to the same pan you used to cook the chicken. Add the veggies (minus the garlic) and red pepper flakes to the pan and stir to coat with the oil and butter (refrain from seasoning with salt until the veggies are finished browning). Cook, stirring often, until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt and pepper to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Continue to cook until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in the milk, heavy cream, and reserved pasta water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and allow to simmer and reduce for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese and cooked pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.

Combine onions, celery, cilantro, and parsley in a large pot. Stir in turmeric, cumin, paprika, ginger, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Place chicken thighs on top. Drizzle olive oil over chicken. Cover and simmer over low heat until chicken is tender, about 40 minutes. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water; let soak for 10 minutes. Drain. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Transfer chicken mixture into an oven-safe tagine or casserole dish. Add sweet potato and carrots. Cover with lid or aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven until sweet potato is soft, about 40 minutes. Add drained raisins and prunes. Continue baking, covered, until raisins and prunes are heated through, about 10 minutes.

step 1 Toss the chicken, garlic, ginger, onion, coriander and chilli into a food processor and season well. Blitz until the chicken is finely ground and everything is well mixed. Use your hands to shape six small cakes. step 2 Heat the oil in a frying pan, then fry the cakes over a medium heat for about 6-8 mins, turning once. Serve hot, with sweet chilli sauce, lime wedges, coriander, shredded spring onion and red chilli.

step 1 Heat grill to very hot. Slice the aubergines in half lengthways, then grill for 25 mins, turning occasionally, until soft – the skin will remain firm, but the flesh will soften. Lift the aubergines off the grill and leave until cool enough to handle. step 2 Using a sharp knife, score the grilled flesh and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Tip into a bowl and mash with a fork until you get a thick pulp. Beat in the lemon juice and garlic. Add the yogurt and dill, and season. Serve while still warm.

Add Ingredients: 12 cups chopped mixed vegetables 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms 1 cup pearl onions TOPPING: Preheat oven to 450°. Bake potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly, then peel. Press potatoes through a ricer, food mill, or colander into a large bowl. Add butter; stir until well blended. Stir in milk. Season to taste with salt. FILLING: Soak dried porcini in 3 cups hot water; set aside. Combine lentils, 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp. salt, and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender but not mushy, 15–20 minutes. Drain lentils and discard garlic. Heat 3 Tbsp. oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until tomato paste is caramelized, 2–3 minutes. Add bay leaves and wine; stir, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in porcini, slowly pouring porcini soaking liquid into pan but leaving any sediment behind. Bring to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Stir in broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 45 minutes. Strain mixture into a large saucepan and bring to a boil; discard solids in strainer. Stir cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. water in a small bowl to dissolve. Add cornstarch mixture; simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in miso. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 450°. Toss vegetables and pearl onions with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil, 5 garlic cloves, and rosemary sprigs in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast, stirring once, until tender, 20–25 minutes. Transfer garlic cloves to a small bowl; mash well with a fork and stir into sauce. Discard rosemary. DO AHEAD: Lentils, sauce, and vegetables can be made 1 d

step 1 Tip the flours into a food processor. Add the yeast, sugar and 1tsp salt, then mix well. Pour in 350ml warm water and the oil, then process to a soft dough. Mix for 1 min, then leave until doubled in size, about 1 hour. step 2 Pulse the dough a couple of times just to knock out the air, then tip onto a floured surface. Cut the dough in half and roll out one half to a rectangle about 20 x 40cm. Trim the edges using a large sharp knife, then cut into eight 10cm squares. Line a large tray or two baking sheets with non-stick paper and arrange the bread rectangles over the tray in one layer. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Leave in a warm place for about 30 mins until the dough is just starting to rise. step 3 Place bread directly onto the BBQ racks and cook for a couple of mins until they puff up, then flip over and cook on the other side. Tip into a basket and serve with the dips.

step 1 To make the stock, put the meat, whole onion, bay leaf and 2 litres of lightly salted cold water in a large saucepan. Cook over a very low heat for 1 hr 30 mins or until the beef shin is soft and falls apart easily – this can take up to 3 hrs. Skim off the scum with a spoon from time to time. Break up any larger pieces of beef into the broth, remove the whole onion and discard. step 2 Add the potatoes to the borscht, season well with salt and pepper and cook for 10-15 mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat the sunflower oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the diced onion and carrot, and cook over a medium heat, stirring, until the carrot is soft and is about to start caramelising. step 3 Add the beetroot and cook for around 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper, if using, and cook for another 2 mins, then add the tomatoes and prunes, stir, then increase the heat and boil to reduce slightly, before adding everything to the borscht. step 4 Add the shredded cabbage and the kidney beans, and cook for 7-10 mins or until tender. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche, lots of chopped dill and some crusty bread.

Coat the chicken with egg white: In a bowl, combine the chicken with the egg white, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and cornstarch. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Let sit for 15 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator. Make the sweet and sour sauce: Whisk together the pineapple juice, vinegar, ketchup, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and brown sugar. Stir-fry the chicken over high heat: Heat a large frying pan or wok over high heat until a bead of water instantly sizzles and evaporates. Pour in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. It's important that the pan is very hot. Add the chicken and spread the pieces out in one layer. Let the chicken fry untouched for 1 minute, until the bottoms are browned. Flip and fry the other side for 1 minute. The chicken should still be pinkish in the middle. Dish out the chicken onto a clean plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible. Stir-fry the bell pepper and ginger: Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Let the oil heat up before adding the bell pepper chunks and ginger. Fry for 1 minute. Add the pineapple, sauce, and then, the chicken: Add the pineapple chunks and the sweet and sour sauce. Turn up the heat to high. When the sauce is simmering, add the chicken pieces back in. Let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Timing depends on how thick you've cut your chicken. The best way to tell if the chicken is done is to take a piece out and cut into it. If it's pink, add another minute to the cooking. Adjust the seasoning and serve: Taste the sauce and add more brown sugar or vinegar to suit your tastes, if you’d like. Serve hot with steamed white or brown rice.

15 minute potato gratin with chicken and bacon greens: a gratin always seems more effort and more indulgent than ordinary boiled or roasts, but it doesn't have to take 45mins, it's nice for a change and you can control the calorie content by going with full fat to low fat creme fraiche. (It's always tastes better full fat though obviously!) to serve 4: use 800g of potatoes, finely slice and boil in a pan for about 5-8 mins till firmish, not soft. Finely slice 3 onions and place in an oven dish with 2 tblsp of olive oil and 100ml of chicken stock. Cook till the onions are soft then drain the potatoes and pour onto the onions. Season and spoon over cream or creme fraiche till all is covered but not swimming. Grate Parmesan over the top then finish under the grill till nicely golden. serve with chicken and bacon, peas and spinach.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan and fry the beef mince for 4-5 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for a further minute, then add the chopped mushrooms, the stout or beef stock and a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside and leave to cool, then turn the meat mixture into a one litre pie dish. Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface until it is slightly larger than the pie dish. Gently drape the pastry over the dish, pressing firmly onto the edges. Trim, then shape the edges into a fluted shape. Cut some leaf shapes out of the pastry trimmings and decorate the top of the pie, sticking them to the pastry with the beaten egg yolk. Make three or four slits in the pastry to allow the steam to escape, then brush the pie with the rest of the beaten egg yolk and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown. To serve, slice into wedges.

step 1 Put the saffron in a small bowl with 75ml of just-boiled water. Stir and set aside. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a broad, shallow casserole dish. Cook the garlic until pale gold in colour, then add the blanched almonds and bread, and continue to fry until everything is golden. Tip into a food processor with some salt and pepper and the parsley, and whizz together. step 2 Heat 2 more tbsp of the oil in the pan and brown the chicken all over, seasoning as you cook. Put in a bowl and set aside. step 3 Remove all but about 2 tbsp of chicken fat from the pan and cook the onion, carrot and celery until golden. Add the sherry, stirring to dislodge any brown bits that have stuck to the pan. Pour in the stock and the saffron (with its water), and bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer. Add the spices and bay leaves, and put the chicken back in the pan with any juices. Season and gently cook the chicken for about 40 mins with the lid on. step 4 Transfer the chicken to a bowl again, leaving the sauce in the pan, and cover with foil to keep warm. Remove the yolks from the eggs and roughly chop the whites. Mash the egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually mix in a couple of tbsp of the sauce. Bring the remaining sauce to the boil to reduce a bit (you want it to just coat the chicken), then turn the heat down. Remove the bay and cinnamon stick. Add the egg yolks and cook for a few mins until the mixture has thickened. Stir in the almond mixture that you made earlier (this will thicken the sauce, too). Put the chicken back in the pan and heat it for about 3 mins, spooning the sauce over it. Season to taste. step 5 Scatter over the extra parsley, the almonds pieces and the chopped egg whites (if you’re going to use them). You can serve this straight from the dish with some rice, if you like.

Add'l ingredients: mayonnaise, siracha 1 Place rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse until water runs clear. Add to a small pot with 1 cup water (2 cups for 4 servings) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15 minutes. Keep covered off heat for at least 10 minutes or until ready to serve. 2 Meanwhile, wash and dry all produce. Peel and finely chop garlic. Zest and quarter lime (for 4 servings, zest 1 lime and quarter both). Trim and halve cucumber lengthwise; thinly slice crosswise into half-moons. Halve, peel, and medium dice onion. Trim, peel, and grate carrot. 3 In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, juice from half the lime, ¼ tsp sugar (½ tsp for 4 servings), and a pinch of salt. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, a pinch of garlic, a squeeze of lime juice, and as much sriracha as you’d like. Season with salt and pepper. 4 Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add beef, remaining garlic, and 2 tsp sugar (4 tsp for 4 servings). Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until beef is browned and cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce. Turn off heat; taste and season with salt and pepper. 5 Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lime zest and 1 TBSP butter. Divide rice between bowls. Arrange beef, grated carrot, and pickled cucumber on top. Top with a squeeze of lime juice. Drizzle with sriracha mayo.

0. Heat oil in a cooking pot. Saute onion and garlic until onion softens 1. Add beef. Saute until the outer part turns light brown. 2. Add soy sauce. Pour tomato sauce and water. Let boil. 3. Add Knorr Beef Cube. Cover the pressure cooker. Cook for 30 minutes. 4. Pan-fry carrot and potato until it browns. Set aside. 5. Add chili pepper, liver spread and peanut butter. Stir. 6. Add bell peppers, fried potato and carrot. Cover the pot. Continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes. 7. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Serve.

step 1 First, make the curry paste. Use a pestle and mortar to pound together the dried and fresh chillies, shrimp paste, garlic, galangal, lemongrass, lime zest, white pepper, coriander, cumin, nutmeg and peanuts, plus 1 tsp salt. You should have a rough paste. Alternatively, add all the ingredients to a food processor along with 2-3 tbsp of coconut milk and pulse until you have a paste. Store in a lidded jar in the fridge. Will keep for up to two weeks. step 2 Add 2-3 tbsp of the thick part of the coconut milk into a saucepan over a medium-high heat. When the coconut milk starts bubbling, add 1-2 tbsp of the curry paste and stir well for about 1 min, until fragrant. step 3 Stir in the chicken and let it cook for about 3-4 mins until beginning to brown all over. Follow with the French beans and stir well. step 4 Season with the fish sauce and sugar, then add the rest of coconut milk. Mix well, add half the makrut lime leaves and simmer for 3-5 mins until the chicken is cooked through. Taste and add more sugar or fish sauce if necessary – it should be salty and nutty, and the sweetness should come through. Add the Thai basil leaves, give it a quick mix and take off the heat. Serve with steamed jasmine rice, garnished with the sliced chilli and the rest of the makrut lime leaves.

1. Prepare the Potatoes Start by peeling and finely grating the potatoes. To ensure extra crispiness, use a clean kitchen towel to squeeze out as much moisture as possible. 2. Mix the Ingredients In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated potatoes, chopped onion, minced garlic, eggs, flour, marjoram, salt, and black pepper. Stir well until the mixture forms a thick, consistent batter. 3. Heat the Oil In a large frying pan, heat a generous amount of oil over medium heat. The oil should be hot but not smoking. 4. Fry the Pancakes Spoon portions of the batter into the pan, flattening each into a thin pancake. Fry until golden brown and crispy on one side, then flip and cook the other side until equally golden and crispy. 5. Drain & Serve Transfer the cooked pancakes onto a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve immediately while hot, with sour cream, garlic dip, or as a side dish.

Squeeze lime over chicken and rub well. Drain off excess lime juice. Combine tomato, scallion, onion, garlic, pepper, thyme, pimento and soy sauce in a large bowl with the chicken pieces. Cover and marinate at least one hour. Heat oil in a dutch pot or large saucepan. Shake off the seasonings as you remove each piece of chicken from the marinade. Reserve the marinade for sauce. Lightly brown the chicken a few pieces at a time in very hot oil. Place browned chicken pieces on a plate to rest while you brown the remaining pieces. Drain off excess oil and return the chicken to the pan. Pour the marinade over the chicken and add the carrots. Stir and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Mix flour and coconut milk and add to stew, stirring constantly. Turn heat down to minimum and cook another 20 minutes or until tender.

Add all the ingredients to a large pan over medium heat and cover with a lid. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the cabbage is soft and tender. Remove from the heat and remove the stalks of thyme before serving.

step 1 Make 3 slashes on each of the drumsticks. Mix together the soy, honey, oil, tomato purée and mustard. Pour this mixture over the chicken and coat thoroughly. Leave to marinate for 30 mins at room temperature or overnight in the fridge. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. step 2 Tip the chicken into a shallow roasting tray and cook for 35 mins, turning occasionally, until the chicken is tender and glistening with the marinade.

step 1 Fire up the barbecue or heat a griddle pan to high. Tip chicken, curry paste and coconut milk into a bowl, then mix well until the chicken is evenly coated. Thread vegetables and chicken onto skewers. Cook the skewers on the barbecue or griddle for 5-8 mins, turning every so often, until the chicken is cooked through and charred. Serve with herby rice, salad and a lime half to squeeze over.

step 1 Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish and brown the chicken pieces on all sides – you may have to do this in batches. Remove from the dish and put to one side. step 2 Lower the heat, add the onion and pepper, and gently cook for 10 mins until softened. Add the garlic and chorizo, and cook for a further 2 mins until the chorizo has released some of its oils into the dish. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 min more. step 3 Return the chicken pieces to the dish along with the thyme, white wine and stock. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the dish with a tight-fitting lid and lower the heat. Cook for 30 mins. step 4 Tip in the rice and stir everything together. Cover, set over a low heat and cook for a further 15 mins, or until the rice is cooked and has absorbed most of the cooking liquid. Remove from the heat and leave the dish to sit for 10 mins to absorb any remaining liquid. Season to taste and scatter with parsley to serve.