Asian Supermarkets

Chinese drink packaging

For a while now, you no longer have to trek into Soho to get your Far East fix. Chinese supermarkets are popping up on every high street and they are stocked with ingredients to make your authentic Asian meals. Whether you are trying to recreate a ramen you slurped in a back street of Shanghai or if you are just trying to divert from your standard Wednesday night Tesco pizza, you have to check out your local. 

The packed shelves

You will find everything, from udon and soba noodles to Japanese Asahi beer and it's so much cheaper than even the well stocked mainstream supermarkets. My local is Far East Story on Junction Rd, London. You can either pop in knowing exactly what you are after or Simon, the owner is always up for discussing the merits of a particular soy sauce or how best to steam your dumplings. I bought a bamboo steamer for a couple of quid in soho after his recommendation and I use it to steam everything from fish to green veg.

The shelves are stacked to the ceiling with popping bold multi coloured packaging, often with no English translation. I never leave without trying something new and this time I walked away with,  dried sweet potato - the perfect at work snack, which tastes bit like dried mango.

Dried Sweet potato

If the thought of going into a supermarket and not seeing baked beans and apples scares you a little bit, write these Asian essentials and treats on your shopping list and you can't go wrong:


1. Shaoxing vinegar – jazzes up your dumpling dipping sauces and soup stocks

2. Char su buns – See earlier post here, just like the ones from the chinese bakery in Soho!

3. Toasted sesame oil – drizzle over dumplings

4. Kikkomans Soy Sauce – Full of flavour

5. Soba noodles - Japanese for buckwheat, best used in a hot noodle soup
6. Su Mai pork and prawn dumplings. Amazing.

Far East Story, 126 Junction Road, N19

Cha su buns and dumplings in the bamboo steamer

look out for the yellow label... the tried and tested tastiest

Here's some pictures of the noodle soup we cooked up using our Chinese ingredients.

New Find #2 The Smitten Kitchen

The Smitten Kitchen. Never have I been so inspired to cook as when I found this food blog. It's one woman, in her home kitchen, using beautiful ingredients that just make you want to make everything she makes. It's not a secret recipe, in fact her first book 'The Smitten Kitchen Cook Book' has just come out today, she just uses the best ingredients and doesn't fuss with them and it works. It also helps that she is a great photographer. I cannot wait to get my mits on that book, but while you wait for yours, why not try one of the recipes from her blog?

Buy it here

All images from smittenkitchen.com

smittenkitchen.com

Autumn Apples

Just before they go in the oven

Baked fluffy autumn apples

I cooked these baked apples with my dad last week. You can experiment with what you stuff the apples with, depending on what you're in the mood for. The garden was covered in a layer of golden leaves and was definitely autumn so we rummaged through the cupbards to find fitting ingredients for this easy autumnal pudding.

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

8 cubes of butter
4 Cooking apples
10 dried prunes
A handful of almonds
2 Pieces of stem ginger
3 Shots of Brandy
4 tsp Soft brown sugar
Water

1. Core the apples and score a ring around the skin about 2/3 up near the core. This is so that when they cook, they can puff up.

2. Place 4 slices of butter in the bottom of an oven dish to seal the bottom and squash the apples on top  so they hold in place.

3. Chop all the other ingredients roughly into fairly small pieces and mix together in a bowl.

4. Stuff the apples tightly with the stuffing mix. It's fine if it spills over the top

5. Put another nob of butter on top of each apple to seal the top.

6. Sprinkle each apple with a tsp of soft brown sugar. When cooked, the butter and sugar makes a lovely toffee sauce.

7. Slosh the apples with about 3 shots of brandy and fill the oven dish with about 1 inch of water.

8. Put in the oven at 160°C for 30-40 mins depending on the size of the apples. They are ready when the apples are soft and fluffy.

I always pass on Christmas pudding but I think these would be a refreshing alternative. You could put a bit of gold leaf on top just to add a bit of Christmas sparkle.

Stuffed chicken breast wrapped in pancetta

Via BBC Food website
I was in the mood to cook something pretty for my Granny and fresher cousin who hasn't diverted from super noodles for a week. This recipe was really easy and it looked beautiful and tasted delicious. 

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
• 4 tbsp cranberry sauce
• 300g/10½oz gorgonzola cheese
• 24 slices of pancetta
• Italian olive oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the green bean salad

• 4 handfuls green beans
• ½ lemon, juice only
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Place each chicken breast between two pieces of cling film and, using a meat mallet, bash out the pieces until about 0.5cm/0.25in thick. Remove the cling film.
3. Spread one tablespoon of cranberry sauce over each chicken breast. Place a piece of gorgonzola in the middle of each chicken breast, season and roll up the chicken to enclose the cheese.
4. Place six slices of pancetta, side by side, on a chopping board. Place one chicken breast on the pancetta slices and tightly wrap pancetta around the chicken. Repeat with the remaining chicken and pancetta slices.
5. Place the chicken breasts on a baking tray, drizzle with a little olive oil and cook in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted.
6. Meanwhile, blanch the green beans for a few minutes in boiling water and then refresh in iced water.
7. Toss the beans with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
8. Divide the bean salad between four plates.
9. Top with the cooked chicken and serve at once.