EASTERN BANQUET

with Lisa Lov, Tigermom

Family-style banquets exist in several cultures, and their sense of celebration and gathering suits small and big hordes alike. The spices Lisa uses give such an amazing complexity, and the drinks I’ve made are designed to work with the food. They’re either fresh and aromatic, or with some fat to mellow the spice away. In combination, this means they help you start to notice new flavours in the food, while other stronger ones are tempered by the creaminess.

◁ LITTLE DEVIL SMASH

Gin, white rum, triple sec, Thai basil and lime

Gather

Just under 1 shot (20ml/0.8oz) London dry gin (citrus-led like Bombay Sapphire)

Just under 1 shot (20ml/0.8oz) white rum (clean like Bacardi Carta Blanca)

Just under 1 shot (20ml/0.8oz) triple sec (a dry style like Merlet)

Just under 1 shot (20m/0.8oz) lime juice

1 tbsp sugar syrup

4 Thai basil leaves (failing that, regular basil and a dash of absinthe), and more to garnish

Method

Add all to a shaker, shake very hard with ice (you want to obliterate the basil!), double strain over cubed and cracked ice, and garnish with some basil leaves.

◁ PIGS’ EAR SALAD WITH CHILLI OIL AND SESAME

Gather

Serves 6

2 pigs’ ears

1 onion, peeled and quartered

1 celery stick, cut into large chunks

1 carrot, cut into large chunks

A bunch of coriander (cilantro) stems or stems from other herbs you’ve used

10g (1/4oz/2 tsp) salt, plus coarse salt for cleaning the ears

11/2 litres (21/2 pints/6 cups) water

25g (1oz/21/2 tbsp) toasted sesame seeds

A bunch of coriander (cilantro), leaves only

Oil, for deep-frying

For the fried chilli paste (makes more than you need)

180ml (61/4fl oz/3/4 cup) oil

110g (33/4oz/1 cup) sliced garlic cloves (at least 2 garlic bulbs)

110g (33/4oz/1 cup) sliced shallots (about 4 shallots)

95g (31/2oz) whole mixed dried chillies

7g (13/4 tsp) light raw sugar

4g (3/4 tsp) salt

15ml (1 tbsp) tamarind water

For the chilli oil dressing

30g (1oz/2 tbsp) fried chilli paste (see above)

40ml (11/2fl oz/21/2 tbsp) apple cider vinegar

15ml (1 tbsp) oil

4g (3/4 tsp) sugar

4g (3/4 tsp) salt

Method

First, clean the pigs’ ears thoroughly by rubbing them with coarse salt and rinsing well under cold water. Put them in a pan with the onion, celery, carrot, herb stems and salt, and cover with the water. Over a high heat, boil the ears until they are soft enough to put your fingernails through them easily, approximately 1–1.5 hours. Remove the ears from the water and place in the fridge to cool. Once cooled, cut the ears into strips of 4cm (11/2 inches) long and 1/2cm (1/4 inch) thin. Return half of these to the fridge and place the other half on a dehydrator tray and dry out at 65°C (150°F), either overnight, or until dried completely. Heat the oil for deep-frying over a medium–high heat to 210°C (410°F) and fry the dried pigs’ ears until puffed, approximately 10 seconds. Allow to cool.

Now make the fried chilli paste. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Fry the garlic until lightly browned, then remove with a slotted spoon. Do the same for the shallots. Fry the whole chillies (stems on) in the same oil, but briefly, for 2–3 seconds per batch. Remove and allow the oil to cool. In a blender, blitz the fried garlic, shallots and chillies roughly. Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the paste. Season with the sugar, salt and tamarind water. Leave to simmer gently in the oil for a few minutes, without letting the paste get darker – so just until the seasonings dissolve. Add more oil if needed to adjust the consistency to an oily, but thick, heavy paste.

When the paste is ready, make the chilli oil dressing. Mix 30g of the chilli paste with all the other ingredients, taste and adjust the seasoning if you like.

When ready to serve, mix the pigs’ ears with the chilli oil dressing, sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and coriander leaves and let marinate for about 10 minutes before serving.

◁ SALAD OF POACHED CHICKEN AND WILD MUSHROOMS

Gather

Serves 6

1 chicken breast, skin on

500ml (18fl oz/2 cups) water

15g (1/2oz/1 tbsp) salt

200g (7oz) chicken skin

30ml (2 tbsp) oil

300g (101/2oz) wild mushrooms, brushed clean

2 small Thai red chillies, roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

10g (1/4oz/21/2 tsp) sugar

40ml (11/2fl oz/21/2 tbsp) fish sauce

40ml (11/2fl oz/21/2 tbsp) lime juice

250g (9oz) mixed herbs and leaves – coriander (cilantro), mint, spinach, watercress (salad cress) and whatever else you like

50g (13/4oz/1/2 cup) shallots, sliced

Salt, to taste

Method

Brine the chicken breast in the water and salt overnight. Remove the chicken breast from the water and seal in a vacuum bag. Poach sous-vide at 58°C (137°F) for 45 minutes. If you don’t have a sous-vide machine at home, then you can poach the chicken breasts in chicken stock. Bring the stock to a boil over high heat, in a saucepan, add the chicken breasts, cover, turn off the heat and remove the saucepan from the stove. Allow the breasts to poach in the hot chicken stock away from direct heat, approximately 30 minutes depending on the size of the breast.

Cool the chicken breast (in the bag if cooked sous-vide). When cool, shred the chicken breast and its skin using your fingers.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4). Spread the chicken skin flat on baking paper on a baking sheet, and lay another layer of paper on top and another tray on top of that, compress the chicken skin between the layers. Bake in the oven until golden brown, about 25–30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool and drain on kitchen towel.

Heat a frying pan over a high heat and add the oil, followed by the mushrooms, and sauté until just cooked. Season with salt to taste.

In a pestle and mortar, pound the chilli, garlic and sugar together to form a rough paste. Add the fish sauce and lime juice to make a dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.

Mix the shredded chicken breast with the mixed herbs, sliced shallots and sautéed mushrooms. Crush in some of the crispy chicken skin and mix in the dressing.

◁ MILK PUNCH

Gin, wormwood, fino, mango, pine nut and condensed milk, clarified

Gather

Makes 1 bottle

1 litre (21/2 pints) mango juice

360g (12.7oz) condensed milk (1 tin)

15g (1/2oz/1 tbsp) citric acid

Peel of one lemon

Peel of one grapefruit

300ml (12oz) gin

1 pinch wormwood

Peel of one green apple

10g (0.4oz) dried mango

10g (0.4oz) toasted pine nuts

4 shots (100ml/4oz) fino sherry

Method

Mango curdle:
Add the mango juice, condensed milk, citric acid, citrus peels and 4 shots (100ml/4oz) water to a microwave safe container, mix, nuke for 6 minutes, then pour through a coffee filter.

Infused gin:
Infuse the gin with the wormwood, green apple peel, dried mango and toasted pine nuts for 5 minutes, then pour through a coffee filter.

To bottle:
Mix together the sherry, 3 shots (75ml/3oz) water, 250ml (9fl oz) infused gin and 400ml (14fl oz) mango curdle. Bottle and chill.

To serve:
Pour cocktail over ice in a rocks glass.

◁ HOT AND SOUR TAMARIND BROTH WITH BITTER GREENS AND COCKLES

Gather

Serves 6

1 litre (13/4 pints/4 cups) chicken stock

4 lemongrass sticks

8 lime leaves

2 shallots, halved

2 small Thai red chillies

A small bunch of coriander (cilantro) stems or 4 coriander roots

150g (51/2oz) bitter greens, such as chard, spinach, rappini or any other leafy green vegetable

2kg (41/2lb) cockles (about 250)

2 small Thai red chillies, bruised

Tamarind water, to taste

Lime juice, to taste

Fish sauce, to taste

Chilli oil, to taste

Coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve

Method

Bring the chicken stock to the boil. Bruise all of the aromatics in a pestle and mortar and add them to the stock with the coriander stems or roots. Reduce the heat, and simmer to infuse for 20 minutes.

Strain the aromatics from the stock and return the infused stock to a large pan over a high heat. Add the bitter greens and cook until they are tender, approximately 3–4 minutes. Once the greens are cooked, add the cockles and put the lid on for about 2 minutes, until all the cockles just open.

Remove from the heat and season the soup with the chillies, tamarind water, lime juice and fish sauce, so that it is hot, sour and salty. Garnish with chilli oil and fresh coriander.

◁ ROASTED WHOLE CAULIFLOWER WITH BLACK PEPPER AND MUSHROOM SAUCE

Gather

Serves 6

400ml (14fl oz/12/3 cups) salted mushroom juice (see below)

45ml (3 tbsp) oil

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

20g (3/4oz) kuzu (or cornstarch)

5g (1 tsp) coarsely ground black pepper

150g (51/2oz) pulp from the salted mushroom juice (see below)

1 whole cauliflower

For the salted mushroom juice (makes more than you need)

2kg (41/2lb) button mushrooms, roughly sliced

60g (21/4oz/4 tbsp) salt

Method

First make the salted mushroom juice. Mix the mushrooms and salt together and place in a sealed container for several hours to marinate. Squeeze the mushrooms through a muslin cloth over a bowl to obtain the juice. Reserve both juice and pulp.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat and fry the garlic until golden brown. Retain the garlic oil, and set the garlic aside for another recipe.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4).

Over a medium-high heat, bring 400ml (14fl oz) of the salted mushroom juice to the boil, add the kuzu and black pepper and simmer until thick. Transfer the sauce into a blender, add the garlic oil and 150g (51/2oz) of the pulp from the salted mushroom juice, and blitz until smooth. Keep warm.

Bake the cauliflower whole until slightly charred on the outside and cooked through to the middle, around half an hour. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower and serve.

◁ CRISPY RICE WITH GINGER AND SPRING ONION OIL

Gather

Serves 6

60g (21/4oz/1 cup) ginger, peeled and finely grated

60g (21/4oz) spring onions (scallions), finely chopped, plus extra to garnish

12g (1/4oz/21/2 tsp) salt, plus extra to garnish

80ml (23/4fl oz/1/3 cup) oil, plus 3 tbsp for frying

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

600g (1lb 5oz) jasmine rice

Method

Mix the ginger, spring onions and salt together in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, over a high heat, heat the oil until it starts to smoke slightly. Pour the oil carefully over the ginger and spring onion mix.

In a small saucepan, heat the 3 tablespoons of oil over a medium heat, and gently fry the garlic, stirring frequently until it becomes a light golden brown. Remove from the heat. Once cooled, strain the fried garlic from the oil. Reserve both.

Wash the rice several times until the water no longer appears to be starchy. Cook the rice in a rice cooker with an appropriate amount of water (if you want measurements, check out the packaging, but I usually do it by eye!).

In a frying pan or wok, large enough to fit the cooked rice in, heat some of the oil from frying the garlic over a medium-low heat. Pack the rice into the pan and flatten it out. Let the rice slowly crisp up on one side until golden brown, approximately 10–15 minutes. Check by lifting up one of the sides.

When it’s golden brown, spoon the ginger and spring onion infused oil over the non-crispy side of the rice, add the fried garlic and sprinkle with a little salt. Carefully turn the rice onto a plate, so that the crispy side is exposed. Garnish with spring onion, if you like.

◁ RED CURRY OF BRAISED PORK CHEEKS WITH BOILED PEANUTS AND CONFIT POTATOES

Gather

Serves 6

For the braised marinated pork cheeks

6 pork cheeks

700ml (11/4 pints/23/4 cups) water

700ml (11/4 pints/23/4 cups) soy sauce

760ml (11/3 pints/3 cups) coconut cream

2 lemongrass sticks

4 kaffir lime leaves

1 shallot, halved

1 small Thai red chilli

A small bunch of coriander (cilantro) stems or 2 coriander roots

For the red curry base (makes more than you need)

100g (31/2oz) dried long red chillies, soaked and deseeded

75g (21/2oz/1/2 cup) chopped lemongrass (about 3 stalks)

45g (11/2oz) coriander (cilantro) roots

75g (21/2oz/1/2 cup) chopped shallots (about 3 shallots)

100g (31/2oz/1 cup) roughly chopped garlic cloves (about 2 garlic bulbs)

50g (13/4oz) shrimp paste

5g (1 tsp) salt

1 tbsp oil or coconut oil

685g (11/2lb) cracked cream (coconut cream which has simmered for a while so the fat has split from the cream)

Approx 500ml (18fl oz/2 cups) chicken stock, plus a few extra splashes

Fish sauce, palm sugar and tamarind water, to taste

Other ingredients

100g (31/2oz/2/3 cup) peanuts, skin on

1 litre (13/4 pint/4 cups) water

15g (1/2oz/1 tbsp) salt

500g (1lb 2oz) potatoes, peeled and cubed

Oil or chicken fat

A bunch of Thai basil, to garnish

Method

First, make the braised marinated pork cheeks. Marinate the pork cheeks in the water and soy sauce overnight. The next day, drain them, and braise them in a pan over a medium heat with the coconut cream and the aromatics, until they are fork-tender.

Next, make the red curry base. Grind or pound the chilli, lemongrass, coriander roots, shallots, garlic, shrimp paste and salt together, either in a blender or with a pestle and mortar. Heat a large pot with the oil or coconut oil over a medium-high heat. Cook the paste in the oil, stirring constantly, until aromatic, approximately 5–10 minutes. Add the cracked cream and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste releases cooked aromas, approximately 10–15 minutes. Add the stock and cook until you have a thick, creamy consistency, emulsifying with the cream, then bring it down to simmer and add a small amount of fish sauce and palm sugar to taste. Cool and store in the fridge. If there is too much fat on it, remove most of it for a different use. It can have a little bit of fat, but the curry should not be too greasy.

In a pressure cooker, combine the peanuts, water and salt, and cook on a medium heat for 30 minutes. Release the pressure, drain the peanuts and cool them in cold water.

Place the potatoes in a pan over a medium heat, and enough oil or chicken fat to cover. Simmer until the potatoes are tender.

In a large pan, put about 250g (9oz/1 cup) of the red curry base and loosen it up with a few splashes of chicken stock – just enough to achieve a thick, creamy consistency. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Place the pork cheeks, peanuts and potatoes in the sauce and stir them gently to coat everything with sauce.

Season with fish sauce and tamarind water until it tastes salty, sweet and rich, with a bit of acidity. Garnish with lots of Thai basil and serve.

◁ PURPLE POTATO COLADA

Rum, purple sweet potato, coconut cream, pineapple, vanilla salt

Gather

1 purple sweet potato (about 300g/101/2oz)

75g (21/2oz) sugar

5g (1 tsp) ascorbic acid (vitamin C powder)

300ml (12oz) Bacardi Carta Blanca

4 shots (100ml/4oz) Bacardi Carta Oro

1 shot (25ml/1oz) pressed pineapple juice

1 tbsp Coco López coconut cream

1 pinch vanilla salt

Method

Sweet potato rum (makes enough for several serves):
Boil the purple sweet potato – skin on – in a shallow pan of water, covered, for 45 minutes or until soft. Remove from water, and while warm, remove skin and add to a blender with the sugar, ascorbic acid and rums. Blend until smooth, then pass through a sieve.

To serve:
Add the pineapple juice, coconut cream and vanilla salt to a shaker with just over 2 shots (60ml/2.4oz) sweet potato rum. Shake, then strain into a small hi-ball with cubes of ice.

◁ RICE, RICE & ICE

Roasted rice-infused vodka, rice, absinthe ice

Gather

24 dashes absinthe

10g (0.4oz) uncooked rice

3g (0.1oz) pink peppercorns

1/2g cinnamon bark

1 star anise

11/2g (0.05oz) liquorice root

Pinch caraway seed

350ml (14oz) vodka

2 shots (50ml/2oz) apricot brandy

Just over a shot (30ml/1.2oz) rice milk

2 tsp sugar syrup

Method

Absinthe ice:
Fill ice cube tray with water. Add 4 dashes absinthe to each cube before it’s set and freeze overnight.

Rice vodka (makes enough for several serves):
Add the rice to a pan and cook over a high heat until lightly browned and aromatic. Reduce heat then add the other spices. Add to the vodka and apricot, allow to infuse for 2 hours, then strain through a coffee filter.

To serve:
Add to a shaker 2 shots (50ml/2oz) of the rice vodka with the rice milk and sugar. Shake with (regular) ice, then strained into a ceramic cup with 1 cube of absinthe ice.