I was initially hesitant about referring you, the reader, to additional, component recipes throughout the book, feeling it somehow disingenuous to put you to the trouble . . . but the same staples feature again and again, woven through the pages, and they warranted a separate home. Here you will find a mixture of core tools and spirited extras to thread into your cooking. My vegan alternative to fish sauce, for example, is used repeatedly, wherever that hit of umami-funk is required (Vegetarian “Fish” Sauce). Of course, you can substitute a 50/50 mix of soy sauce and water to thinner, yet comparable effect, or even use the original if you eat fish, but with so many East Asian recipes in the book a laudable alternative was essential.
Nowadays, I find myself turning to pastry less frequently, but it still features regularly enough to be a staple. So a handful of steadfast dough recipes, suited to most uses and dietary requirements, find their home here, to be used as the basis for sweet and savory tarts and pies (see Four Essential Pastry Recipes).
And beyond these fundamentals there are optional extras in the form of quick relishes and condiments. These are the key to quirky cooking, adding characterful flourish and dash. You could use store-bought alternatives in most cases, but homemade is invariably better if you have the time, and, besides, there is nothing complicated here. True preserving is an art, using carefully sterilized vessels and ingredients in bulk . . . but I wanted something more immediate and, arguably, more vibrant than jars of long-simmered chutneys that can sit in your pantry for all eternity. Hence, the emphasis here is on bold flavor and quick results in small batches, often with a healthy dose of chile heat. Freedom from the tyranny of long-term preserving means adding far less sugar, compensating with intense flavor from the produce itself. The same principles apply as in general vegetarian cooking: Roasting, griddling and occasionally charring the ripest produce will drive off water, exaggerating natural sugars and concentrating precious flavors, to give a fierce and true result. Tomatoes and both sweet and hot peppers, full of the flavors of summer, make the ideal candidates for naturally sweet jams and relishes, and I have used them with abandon.
Most of these recipes are incredibly versatile, the idea being that if you make, say, a tomato and preserved lemon relish (see Roasted Tomato and Pickled Lemon Relish) to go with falafel, you can enjoy it with vegetable fritters or flash-fried halloumi over the following days. Pickled Sour Cherries are adaptable enough to go from cheese board to salad or bruschetta or, as I’ve suggested in the Grazing chapter, to scatter on slightly bitter tahini and sweet, nutty kibbeh. Here lies the ingenious contrast and balance in a well-considered dish and the value of a relish. Some others, as with the Sriracha Mayonnaise with Scallions, feature to provide a quick fix when inspiration is low or a straightforward supper needs extra pep.
A note on stock: It is a staple used throughout the book, adding subtle and satisfying layers of flavor. It would be impressive if you made your own every time. I keep a large container of Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon (you can find it on Amazon) and use it often, favoring the light, powdered mix over greasy stock cubes. Having said that, a homemade broth can make an enormous difference to a dish. If you have the freezer space and the occasional time to spare, making a concentrated master stock is a nourishing way to use up leftover or tired vegetables, trimmings, peelings and herb stalks and is so simple it hardly warrants a recipe. Working on a simple ratio of 2¼ pounds (1 kg) of aromatic vegetables—always including celery and onion—to 2 quarts (2 L) of water, simmer gently for thirty to sixty minutes, then strain through a fine sieve. Use as is, or reduce down by half to freeze and dilute later. It will keep for a week in the fridge or for a three-month stint in the freezer. Customize your broth as you wish. For example, mushrooms add umami flavor; whole spices enhance when used judiciously; root vegetables and tomato paste bring sweet depth; while the peelings from aromatic ginger and lemongrass lend an East Asian flavor profile, perfect for noodle soups. Add classic French flavor with a bouquet garni, made by tying bay leaves, thyme, parsley and a few black peppercorns up in a piece of leek leaf. If you need a robust, characterful stock, as I did in my pho recipe (see Northern-Style Pho), roast or sauté larger vegetable pieces in a little oil to caramelize and concentrate their flavors before simmering, and be generous with the mushrooms. Only avoid members of the cabbage family, zucchini, green beans and potatoes in stocks: The last is too starchy and the others too pungent.
Interestingly, food writer Heidi Swanson brought my attention to a homemade bouillon, garnered in turn from Pam Corbin’s Preserves: River Cottage Handbook No 2. It uses a food processor to blend a scant 2¼ pounds (1 kg) of chopped, stock-friendly vegetables (leeks, fennel, celery, onions, celery root, carrots) with a couple of tablespoons of chopped, sun-dried tomatoes for depth, a few garlic cloves, a handful of soft herbs and ¾ cup (250 g) of salt to a paste. The high salt content prevents this from freezing solid, so keep it in the freezer, ready to add to simmering water whenever light stock is needed. Just keep an eye on the salt used in the rest of the recipe, to prevent overseasoning.
This fresh, sour and salty relish contains no added sugar, so it won’t keep for very long. It is fantastic with halloumi or baked feta (see Rye Migas, Baked Feta and Hot Caper Salsa), or anything from the fritter/kofta family. Shades of the Middle East in the spicing lend it well to other foods from that part of the world, though it is approachable enough to lift most savory dishes.
Makes 1 medium jar
• 1 pound 5 ounces (600 g) plum tomatoes, deseeded and coarsely chopped
• 2 preserved lemons, rind only, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roughly crushed
• Pinch of chile flakes
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Handful of cilantro leaves, chopped, optional
Considering the punch this little jam packs, the amount of sugar added is minimal. You can leave it out, but remember the jam may need a little less acid for balance and will only keep in the fridge for a few days without the sugar’s preserving qualities. Use in sandwiches and wraps, to go with quiches, tarts, omelets or fritattas . . . or, indeed, anything egg-based and savory.
Makes 1 medium jar
• 6 sweet red peppers (ideally the sweet, thin-skinned Romano or bull’s horn if you can find them), halved, cored and deseeded
• 2 mild red chiles, halved and deseeded
• 1 pound 4 ounces (550 g; about 7 medium) fragrant, vine-ripened tomatoes, halved through their middles, seeds scooped out
• 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated (including the juice)
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar or unrefined brown sugar
Homemade mustards are usually hot and sharp compared to store-bought, and this is no exception. The finished mustard won’t be completely smooth unless you own an incredible blender, but that is part of its charm. This is also good with chopped dill stirred through it, in which case increase the honey quantity to make a version of a Swedish mustard sauce.
Makes 1 small jar
• ⅓ cup (100 g) yellow mustard seeds, or a mixture of yellow and brown
• ½ cup (120 ml) white wine vinegar
• ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½-inch (1.5 cm) piece fresh turmeric, peeled and finely chopped, or ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon finely grated horseradish
Scatter these sweet-salty caramelized nuts over salads, grain bowls, or cakes and desserts.
Makes about 4 ounces (120 g)
• ⅔ cup (100 g) walnut pieces
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons brown rice syrup
• Small pinch of sea salt
Have a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper ready. Put the walnuts in a large frying pan and toast over low heat, stirring often, until just beginning to turn golden. Add the sesame seeds to the pan and continue to toast until the seeds are lightly browned. Increase the heat, add the rice syrup and toss through to coat. Scrunch the salt over and continue to cook until the nuts are evenly glazed. Pour onto the parchment or wax paper in an even layer and set aside to cool. Once completely cool, roughly or finely chop as needed. Keep in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 4 days.
A pot of magic to keep on hand, ready to spoon over fritters or falafel, or to spread over warm flatbreads to keep salad leaves in place before rolling. The taste of the finished sauce will depend entirely on the tahini you use, so make sure it is as fresh as possible and not too bitter, and stir the jar well before using.
Makes 1 small jar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons light tahini
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
As with most pickles and relishes in this chapter, these fragrant and spicy cherries have myriad uses, but you might want to start by adding them to a cheese board, or a salad of peppery leaves, blue cheese and pecans.
Makes 1 medium jar
• 1¾ cups (300 g) dried sour cherries
• ½ cup (120 ml) red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 4 fresh bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Pinch of chile flakes
Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan with 3 tablespoons water and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring often. Once bubbling, remove from the heat, pour into a clean jar and cover. Set aside to cool completely. Chill and use within 1 month.
This North African spice mix is wonderful sprinkled over soft-boiled eggs or split, baked sweet potatoes. Stir in a pinch of finely chopped fresh oregano leaves before using, if you like. Try za’atar blended with roasted almonds and spiked with extra herbs as a seasoning for polenta fries (see Chubby Polenta Fries with Almond Za’atar Salt), or add dried chile, lemon juice, oregano leaves and olive oil to make a dressing for roasted vegetables, feta or salad.
Makes about 3.5 ounces (100 g)
• ⅓ cup (50 g) black or white sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground sumac
• 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put the sesame and cumin seeds in a large frying pan and toast over medium heat, tossing the pan for a minute or so, until the seeds are fragrant and a shade darker (hard to judge if you use black sesame seeds! Go with your nose). Transfer into mini a food processor, spice grinder or mortar and pestle and add the dried oregano, sumac, salt and pepper. Blend or grind as finely as you wish. Keep in a cool, dark place in an airtight jar for up to 1 month.
The obvious trouble with being puritanical about using only fish sauce in Southeast Asian recipes is that it excludes non-fish eaters. (How many times in other recipes have I read, “Don’t even think about substituting soy sauce?” All very laudable, but so tiresome for vegetarians and vegans.) This method gives you a complex, umami-rich, vegan substitute.
Makes about ¾ cup (200 ml)
• ¼ cup (5 g) dried mushrooms, preferably cloud ear or shiitake
• 2 tablespoons salted, fermented black beans
• 2 umeboshi plums (or you can substitute 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon miso paste, ideally a mild yellow or white
• ⅓ cup (75 ml) light soy sauce
Admittedly, this is a little bit trashy, but it’s excellent as a dip for baked potato skins, hot vegetable fritters or crunchy lettuce leaves. Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise is the ideal choice if you can track down a squishy package; it is made with rice wine vinegar and has a mild, sweet flavor.
Serves 4 as a dip or accompaniment
• ¼ cup (60 g) mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sour cream or mild plain yogurt
• 1 or 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce, to taste
• Squeeze of lime juice
• 3 scallions, finely chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl (add the second tablespoon of Sriracha for a stronger kick) and season to taste. Keep, chilled and covered, for up to 4 days.
Tuck a spoonful of this umami-rich relish with its slight mineral tang into grain, noodle or salad bowls, stirring through as you eat.
Makes 1 small jar
• 1 square of toasted nori seaweed
• ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup or brown rice syrup
• 2 tablespoons mellow brown or yellow miso
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon peeled and finely grated fresh ginger root
Snip the nori into fine little shreds with scissors. Stir through the remaining ingredients, cover and chill for up to 2 weeks.
Use this as a dipping sauce for summer rolls or fritters, as a salad dressing, or to pour over noodles and rice. If you haven’t made any of the Vegetarian “Fish” Sauce and can’t track down a comparable store-bought version, substitute light soy sauce mixed with an equal amount of water.
Makes about 1 cup (240 ml)
• 2 tablespoons unrefined superfine sugar, or to taste
• ¼ cup (60 ml) rice wine vinegar
• ¼ cup (60 ml) Vegetarian “Fish” Sauce (see recipe introduction), or to taste
• 1 bird’s eye chile, finely sliced, or to taste
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lime, or to taste
Pour ½ cup (100 ml) water into a small saucepan and add the sugar. Warm through over low heat, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and “fish” sauce, stir well and set aside to cool. Once cool, stir in the chile, garlic and lime juice. Taste to check you like the balance of sweet, hot, salty and sour, adjusting as necessary. Use immediately or keep chilled and covered for up to 5 days.
This is a relatively primitive version of the Indonesian chile paste, with only a subtle hint of lemongrass. You can make the paste more complicated with garlic, ginger, sugar and lime zest, and you can also simmer the liquid to reduce. A robust mortar and pestle is essential to crush and break the chiles down.
Makes 1 tiny jar
• 1 lemongrass stalk, well trimmed
• 8 large red chiles, halved, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons lime juice or rice wine vinegar
Remove the outer layers from the lemongrass to reveal the soft core. Chop this roughly. Put half the chiles and lemongrass in a mortar and pestle and add half the salt. Pound to a rough purée. Scrape into a bowl and repeat. Stir in the lime juice or vinegar and taste. It should be extremely fiery and sharp, but a little bit sweet from the chiles. Add a little more salt if you like. Cover and keep chilled for up to 2 weeks.
Keep a bowlful of these on hand for any Vietnamese salad, summer roll or noodle bowl.
Makes 1 medium bowlful
• ½ cup (90 g) unrefined superfine sugar
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ cup (180 ml) rice wine vinegar
• 1¾ cups (200 g) peeled and shredded (or sliced, in the case of small) daikon and/or small regular radishes
• 1⅔ cups (200 g) peeled and shredded carrots
Combine the sugar, salt and vinegar with ½ cup (100 ml) water in a bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the vegetables and set aside for 2 hours. The pickles can be drained and eaten at this stage (rinse them for an even milder flavor), or chill them for 2 to 3 weeks. Their flavor will become more intense as the days go on.
Use this mild but savory stock as a base for gentle Japanese-inspired noodle soups or mellow brothy rice bowls.
Makes 1 quart (1 L)
• 1 piece dried kombu seaweed (about 2 × 4 inches/5 × 10 cm)
Snip the kombu with scissors to make a few cuts in it, releasing the flavor. Put the kombu in a saucepan and cover with 1 quart (1 L) water. To deepen the flavor, set aside to soak for anything from 2 hours to a day. Place over low heat and very slowly bring to a boil. As soon as the liquid begins to bubble, remove the soft kombu with tongs. Strain the broth through a muslin- or cheesecloth-lined sieve and let cool. Cover and chill if not using right away and keep for up to 2 days.
Or satay by another name; this is an addictive and versatile sauce, so I always make it in generous quantity. Serve it with Asian-style omelets, crisp tofu or fried rice, as a dressing for noodles or a dip for crunchy vegetables.
Makes about 2 cups (500 ml)
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated
• 2 red chiles, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1½ tablespoons palm or brown sugar, or to taste
• 1 cup (150 g) roughly chopped unsalted peanuts
• One 13.5-ounce (400 ml) can coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons tamarind paste, or to taste
These should prove useful pastry variations in your day-to-day cooking. As a rough guide, 6 ounces (175 g) of pastry will line an 8-inch (20 cm) tart pan. To cover the top, too (to make a pie), you will need 8 ounces (225 g). About 15 ounces (420 g) of pastry will generously line (or make a lid for) a 10-inch (26 cm) tart pan or ovenproof dish, while the whole batch of gluten-free pastry here—about 18 ounces (520 g)—lines an 11- to 12-inch (28 to 30 cm) pan.
An excellent, everyday pastry. Not wheat- or gluten-free, but characterful and reliable.
Makes about 15 ounces (420 g)
• 2 cups (250 g) whole-grain spelt flour
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 stick (125 g) unsalted butter, chilled and chopped
• Ice water
Put the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to aerate. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. (Or you can rub the butter in by hand, in a large mixing bowl.) Transfer into a bowl and add 2½ tablespoons of ice water, cutting it into the pastry with a table knife. Add a drop more water as needed to bring it together into a ball, leaving the bowl clean. Knead briefly to combine, form into a disc, wrap and set aside in a cool place to rest for 30 minutes before rolling out.
You will need to visit a health food or good East Asian shop for this. You can substitute coconut butter for the dairy kind, but it has a strong taste. If you can’t get with that taste but want a dairy-free pastry, use the same amount of olive oil by weight and freeze for 1 to 2 hours in an empty yogurt container. Blend or rub into the flour, being careful not to overwork. This pastry will be slightly flaky, short and flavorful.
Makes about 18 ounces (520 g)
• 1 cup (120 g) arrowroot powder or tapioca flour
• 1 cup (120 g) brown rice flour
• ½ cup (60 g) glutinous rice flour
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1½ sticks (200 g) unsalted butter, chilled and chopped
• Ice water
Combine the flours in the bowl of a food processor. Add the salt and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles bread crumbs with no visible pieces of butter. Transfer into a large mixing bowl and cut 3 tablespoons of ice water in with a table knife. You may need to add up to 2 tablespoons more to bring the dough together. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 to 60 minutes or up to 3 days, or freeze for a month, before rolling out between sheets of parchment paper.
A buttery, delicate pastry with a nutty taste and none of the bother of making a classic puff.
Makes about 15 ounces (420 g)
• 1¾ cups (220 g) whole-grain spelt or regular whole wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (150 g) unsalted butter, frozen solid
• Ice water
Put the flour and salt in a bowl and stir with a balloon whisk to aerate. Wrap the end of the butter in foil so that you can hold it without it melting. Coarsely grate it straight into the flour, dipping the end of the butter block into the flour if it softens. Lightly toss it through the flour with a knife. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of ice water over, cutting in with the knife. Add 3 to 5 tablespoons water to form a dough. With your hands, lightly bring the pastry into a ball that leaves the bowl clean. Divide into 2 and flatten each piece into a disc. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes before rolling out.
White spelt, or regular all-purpose flour, is just as good here, but the water quantity may vary. The coconut flavor is noticeable (and delicious if you are a fan), so this “short” pastry is ideal for sweet recipes. For a subtler taste, use refined coconut butter.
Makes about 15 ounces (420 g)
• 2 cups (250 g) whole-grain spelt flour
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or unrefined brown sugar, optional (if making sweet pastry)
• ½ cup (125 g) extra virgin coconut butter, chilled and roughly chopped
• Ice water
Put the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to aerate. If you want to add sugar, stir it in here. Add the coconut butter and continue to pulse until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. (Or you can rub the butter in by hand, in a large mixing bowl.) Transfer into a bowl and add 2½ tablespoons of ice water, cutting it into the pastry with a table knife. Add a drop more water as needed to bring it into a ball, leaving the bowl clean. Knead briefly to combine, form into a disc, wrap and set aside in a cool place to rest for 30 minutes before rolling out. If using this to line a tart pan, leave the sides overhanging and trim after baking, not before, to prevent shrinkage.
A vital component of Son-in-Law Eggs with Green Mango and excellent on plain fried eggs, too, or use this distinct and tangy sauce/dressing/chutney in any number of Asian-inspired recipes. Making tamarind purée from blocks of sour tamarind pulp takes barely two minutes and is completely worth it, both for the superior, intense flavor and the value for your money. I don’t even consider the ready-to-serve purée in puny jars.
Makes 1 cup (225 ml)
• ⅔ cup (75 g) seedless tamarind pulp from a block
• ¼ cup (45 g) palm sugar, or to taste
• ¼ cup (60 ml) Vegetarian “Fish” Sauce (use a store-bought version), or substitute 2 tablespoons light soy sauce mixed with 2 tablespoons water, or to taste
• Sea salt, as needed
Scatter this intense salt over vegetables before roasting, or combine it with butter and spoon into baked sweet potatoes.
Makes 1.75 ounces (50 g)
• 4 fresh bay leaves, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup (60 g) sea salt
• Leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme
• Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
• 1 teaspoon chile flakes
Put the bay leaves in a mortar and pestle, or the small bowl of a food processor. Add a good pinch of the salt and pummel or blend until the salt turns green and the leaves are reduced to very small pieces. Add the thyme and lemon zest and blend or pummel again. Stir in the remaining salt and the chile flakes. Keep in a lidded jar in a cool place for a couple of months.
This makes an excellent and incredibly hot, oily paste. Not a bad thing, of course, but I’m just warning you about the heat levels. You could substitute a milder chile, if you prefer a less explosive mouthful. Add spoonfuls of this paste to stir-fries, soups, congee, grain bowls and salads, to add fire. Add more oil to the paste to make it into a roasted chile oil, if you think you will use that more often.
Makes 1 jar
• 5.5 ounces (150 g) bird’s eye chiles
• 1 cup (100 g) unpeeled and halved Thai shallots
• 6 fat garlic cloves, unpeeled
• Sea salt
• ⅓ cup (75 ml) peanut oil
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons tamarind purée
• 1 to 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
