PRAWN PAD THAI
SERVES 2
- 200g (7oz) flat rice noodles
- ½tbsp vegetable oil, plus additional for the egg
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 10 uncooked king prawns, shelled and deveined, tails left on
- 1 egg
- 125g (4½oz) bean sprouts
- 50g (1¾oz) garlic chives (kow choi, from Asian supermarkets or on-line), optionally available
FOR THE SEASONING
- 1½tbsp tamarind paste
- 1tbsp palm sugar
- 1tbsp fish sauce
- 2tbsp gentle soy sauce
Porta 6 Glowing Brut (12.5%) £9, Asda
FOR THE GARNISH
- 1 spring onion, lower into skinny strips and soaked in chilly water till curled, then drained
- 10 sprigs of recent coriander, leaves picked
- 2tsp dried chilli flakes
- ½ a lime, lower into 2 wedges
- 2tbsp salted peanuts, flippantly crushed
Put together the noodles in accordance with the packet directions; drain and put aside. In a small bowl, combine the seasoning elements with 2tbsp water and stir nicely.
Warmth the oil in a wok or giant frying pan over a excessive warmth. Fry the garlic for 30 seconds, then add the prawns and cook dinner for 1 minute. Push the prawns to 1 aspect of the wok or frying pan and drizzle in just a little extra oil.
Crack within the egg, scramble it, cook dinner till dry after which add the noodles and seasoning combination. Cook dinner for two minutes, then stir within the bean sprouts and chives, if utilizing, proceed to cook dinner for 1 extra minute after which flip off the warmth.
Switch to 2 serving bowls and garnish with the spring onion, coriander, chilli flakes, lime wedges and peanuts. Serve instantly.
Olly Smith’s wine pairing: Pad Thai perfection
Porta 6 Glowing Brut (12.5%) £9, Asda
As energetic as a glitterball and with a touch of apple, this Portuguese fizz is splendidly scented and goes down a deal with with this week’s tasty Prawn Pad Thai. Transfer over, Prosecco!
CHICKEN AND BLACK PEPPER STIR-FRY
SERVES 4
Co-op Irresistible Macon-Villages Chardonnay 2022 (13%) £10.50
- 1tbsp vegetable oil
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2.5cm (1in) ginger, finely chopped
- 1 inexperienced chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 600g (1lb 5oz) rooster breast fillets, lower into slices 2cm (¾in) thick
- 2tbsp candy soy sauce
- ½tbsp black peppercorns, flippantly crushed
- 2tbsp oyster sauce
- 150g (5½oz) superb beans, trimmed and sliced diagonally
- 1 carrot, about 150g (5½oz), peeled, lower in half lengthways and sliced diagonally
- ½tsp superb sea salt
- 2 spring onions, lower in skinny strips and soaked in chilly water till curled, drained
- Jasmine rice or egg noodles, to serve
Warmth the vegetable oil in a wok or giant frying pan over a medium-high warmth and fry the garlic, ginger and chilli for two minutes or till turning gentle golden brown.
Add the rooster, soy sauce and black pepper. Cook dinner for 3 minutes till the rooster items are sealed and about half-cooked.
Subsequent, add the oyster sauce, beans, carrot and salt with 100ml (3½fl oz) water and cook dinner for five extra minutes, with the lid on, till the rooster is cooked by way of.
Flip off the warmth and spoon the stir-fry into 4 serving bowls with some jasmine rice or egg noodles. Garnish with the curled spring onions.
Cook dinner’s tip: When utilizing rooster breast, slice the meat as an alternative of dicing, as this supplies extra floor space to soak up the sauce.
Olly’s wine pairing: Stir-fry stunner
Co-op Irresistible Macon-Villages Chardonnay 2022 (13%) £10.50
An excellent Burgundy for a tenner, this has the peachy richness to work with the mildly spiced Rooster And Black Pepper Stir-Fry.
FIVE-SPICE DUCK WITH CHINESE BROCCOLI
SERVES 2
- 2tsp five-spice powder
- 2 small boneless duck breasts, pores and skin on
- Salt and pepper
- ½tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 300g (10½oz) kailan (Chinese language broccoli, see tip above), stems lower in half lengthways
- 3tbsp oyster sauce
- 1tbsp candy soy sauce
- 1tsp sesame oil
- ½tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Jasmine rice, to serve
Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/fuel 4. Rub the five-spice powder on each side of the duck breasts and season.
Waitrose Cherished & Discovered Lacrima 2021 (13%) £8.99
Warmth the vegetable oil in a lidded, heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high warmth. Add the duck breasts to the pan, skin-side down and cook dinner for about 3 minutes, or till the pores and skin is golden brown and the fats has run out into the pan. Flip over and cook dinner for 1 extra minute.
Flip off the warmth and switch the duck to an oven tray and cook dinner for 7 minutes for medium-rare. Take away, cowl with foil and go away to relaxation for five minutes.
Use 1tsp of the remaining fats from the duck within the frying pan and place over a medium-high warmth. Stir within the garlic and cook dinner for 30 seconds, then add the kailan, oyster sauce and candy soy sauce. Stir, cowl with a lid and cook dinner for two minutes till wilted. Add the sesame oil, stir and switch off the warmth. Switch the kailan to a serving bowl with out the sauce.
Slice the duck into strips and place within the serving bowl. Drizzle the sauce over and garnish with the sesame seeds. Serve directly with jasmine rice.
Cook dinner’s tip: Kailan or Chinese language broccoli has a definite bitter flavour, with giant leaves and stalks – you may exchange it with pak choi.
Olly’s wine pairing: Scrumptious with duck
Waitrose Cherished & Discovered Lacrima 2021 (13%) £8.99
As gentle as ripe black cherries and strawberries, this grape selection, cherished by our reader Mr R Davies, is wreathed with sufficient floral finesse to accomplice the 5-Spice Duck.
GADO GADO SALAD
SERVES 4
- 1tbsp vegetable oil
- 400g (14oz) agency tofu, drained and lower into 1cm (½in)-thick slices
- 400g (14oz) cooked child potatoes, halved, saved heat
- 200g (7oz) superb beans, trimmed at each ends and lower diagonally into 4cm (1½in) items
- 1 medium carrot, sliced diagonally into items
- 100g (3½oz) child spinach
- 100g (3½oz) bean sprouts
- 4 eggs, boiled for 8 minutes, cooled, peeled, halved
- 1 Little Gem lettuce, halved, stems eliminated and the leaves picked individually
- 4 child cucumbers, lower in half lengthways
FOR THE PEANUT SAUCE
Days Alcohol Free Pale Ale (0%, 33cl) £1.80, Tesco
- 200g (7oz) crunchy peanut butter
- ½tbsp chilli paste
- 1 stalk of lemongrass, white half solely, grated
- 1tbsp candy soy sauce
- ½tbsp tamarind paste
- Salt
Warmth the vegetable oil in a medium frying pan over a medium-low warmth and fry the tofu slices in batches for two minutes or so on both sides till agency and crispy on the surface. Take away the tofu from the pan and put aside.
Convey 500ml (18fl oz) water to the boil and blanch the beans and carrot for two minutes. Take away with a slotted spoon, and utilizing the identical water, proceed with the spinach and the bean sprouts for 30 seconds. Take away, switch to a plate and blot with kitchen paper.
For the peanut sauce, put all of the elements right into a medium bowl with 200ml (7fl oz) boiling water and blend nicely. Divide the sauce between 4 serving bowls and neatly place all of the salad elements subsequent to one another within the bowls.
Bowlful by Norman Musa, printed by Pavilion, £20, is out now
Olly’s wine pairing: Peanut accomplice
Days Alcohol Free Pale Ale (0%, 33cl) £1.80, Tesco
Vibrant and invigorating, this zero-booze beer’s massive flavour contrasts with the Gado Gado Salad’s shiny peanut sauce whereas echoing its crunchy freshness.
- Bowlful by Norman Musa, printed by Pavilion, £20, is out now. To order a duplicate for £18 go to mailshop.co.uk/books or name 020 3176 2937. Free UK supply on orders over £25. Promotional worth legitimate till 26/08/2023
