https://www.scmp.com/rss/318128/feed Susan Jung is the Post’s senior food and wine editor. See her Home Cooking with Susan Jung videos here, as well as scores of recipes for dishes to suit every occasion. A trained pastry chef, Susan has worked in restaurants in San Francisco, New York and Hong Kong. Her cookbook, A Celebration of Food, was published in Hong Kong in 2012. She is the academy chair for the Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau region of the World's 50 Best Restaurants and Asia's 50 Best Restaurants. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Susan Jung Susan Jung Annatto, also known as achiote, is a spice known more for its colour than its flavour. The seeds of the annatto tree are dried into hard reddish-brown pellets, which are used as a natural dye (including for lipstick, hence it is also called “the lipstick tree”) and food colouring. The shades range from golden yellow to deep red, depending on the concentration. It is sometimes used as a much cheaper substitute for saffron, purely for its colour because the two spices taste nothing alike. The... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347128/how-cook-annatto-saffrons-subtler-stand-and-3-simple-recipes-use-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347128/how-cook-annatto-saffrons-subtler-stand-and-3-simple-recipes-use-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Pink peppercorns look like pepper and are sometimes sold along with white, black and green peppercorns in a mixed packet, but unlike the other three, which are the dried fruit of the Piper nigrum shrub in different stages of ripeness, they are harvested from at least two plants that are unrelated to the pepper family. Also called poivre rose, the pink peppercorn’s colour, texture (it has a delicate crunch) and flavour – sweet, aromatic and only slightly peppery, without the “hotness” of true... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346463/2-pink-peppercorn-recipes-bring-out-their-sweet-aromatic-flavour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3346463/2-pink-peppercorn-recipes-bring-out-their-sweet-aromatic-flavour?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung “Herbes de Provence” evokes warm, sunny days lazing by the pool or on the beach, and meals of grilled meats, ratatouille and chilled rosé wine. There is no rigid recipe for the herb blend – every producer has their own – but it should be composed of herbs that are widely used in the cuisine of the French region. The blend can contain varying amounts of any or all of the following: dried basil, thyme, fennel seed, rosemary, savory, tarragon, oregano, marjoram and chervil. Some producers add... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345655/how-make-herbes-de-provence-give-grilled-meat-and-fish-french-accent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345655/how-make-herbes-de-provence-give-grilled-meat-and-fish-french-accent?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Chervil is the refined cousin of the parsley family. Delicate in looks, flavour and fragrance, the herb – with its feathery leaves – is far less assertive than other plants in its family, which includes celery, carrot and flat-leaf parsley. In Hong Kong, chervil is more expensive than other types of parsley. To store it, wrap the base of the sprigs in a damp paper towel and put the herb in a plastic bag in the fridge, wetting the towel as needed. Like other types of parsley, chervil loses much... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3344726/how-use-chervil-known-french-parsley-and-2-delicious-recipes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3344726/how-use-chervil-known-french-parsley-and-2-delicious-recipes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 07:15:07 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Oregano is one of the few dried herbs I have on the spice rack in my kitchen. While the flavour of most other delicate, leafy herbs dissipates when dried, oregano gains intensity. It should be used with a light touch. If a recipe calls for an amount of the fresh herb and you only have dried, use less than half. It is easy to add more later, but it is difficult to tone down if you have added too much. Although many recipes call for dried oregano to be sprinkled over food at the last minute, I... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343991/how-use-oregano-and-recipes-spotlight-pizza-herb?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343991/how-use-oregano-and-recipes-spotlight-pizza-herb?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Rosemary is one of those ingredients that can easily overwhelm a dish. It’s strong and fragrant, with a distinctive pine flavour that can be refreshing and pleasant if used judiciously, but bitter if overused. The needlelike leaves on tough stalks are popular in Mediterranean cuisines. As a fresh herb, rosemary stores well: you can wrap the base of the stalks in a damp paper towel and keep it in the fridge, or even put the rosemary in a small vase with about 1cm of water and use as an unusual... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343285/how-use-rosemary-and-3-recipes-make-most-its-pungent-flavour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3343285/how-use-rosemary-and-3-recipes-make-most-its-pungent-flavour?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Sage is a plant that is easy to recognise, at least when it is fresh. The leaves are medium-sized, dusty green, covered with a soft, delicate fuzz, and have a distinct but mild taste. When the leaves are dried, the flavour intensifies, so they should be used with discretion. Sage goes well with meats such as chicken, turkey, pork and veal, and it is a popular seasoning for sausages. Sage has been used for its medicinal values for centuries. It is said to have antiseptic qualities, to help with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3342504/how-use-sage-and-3-recipes-make-most-its-savoury-flavour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3342504/how-use-sage-and-3-recipes-make-most-its-savoury-flavour?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 07:15:09 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung The tonka bean is not the most visually appealing spice – the black, shrivelled seeds look rather like what a large rat would leave behind. My first encounter with it was not promising. A pastry chef mentioned that he had made some tonka bean ice cream. He showed me a bagful of the seeds and, being curious, I popped one into my mouth. The bitter intensity of the bean was almost overwhelming. I did some research and found that the tonka bean contains coumarin, a chemical that can cause liver... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3339965/how-tonka-beans-can-add-touch-spice-your-desserts-and-sex-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3339965/how-tonka-beans-can-add-touch-spice-your-desserts-and-sex-life?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 07:15:10 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Citrus zest is one of the most powerful and distinctive seasonings you can use, but most people just discard it. To make the most of it, you need to separate the zest from the pith, which together form the citrus peel (also called the rind or the skin). The zest is the colourful part of the peel, the thin layer of yellow, orange or green on a lemon, orange or lime, while the pith is the thicker white layer underneath the zest. The zest has a bright taste and aroma due to the citrus oils it... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3339049/how-zest-lemon-and-best-way-use-it-flavour-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3339049/how-zest-lemon-and-best-way-use-it-flavour-food?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung The celery we get in supermarkets comes in the form of long, clean, tidy stalks that are eaten as a vegetable; sometimes the aromatic leaves are attached. The plant, though, also yields tiny pieces of fruit called celery seeds, which are used as a spice. Although the seed is small, the flavour is strong – and, surprise, celery-like. It is used in alternative medicine. According to the University of Maryland Medical Centre, in the United States, the seeds are used as a diuretic and to treat... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3338463/celery-seeds-many-uses-flavouring-bloody-marys-and-indian-food-treating-gout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3338463/celery-seeds-many-uses-flavouring-bloody-marys-and-indian-food-treating-gout?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 08:15:09 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung When I think of pomegranates, I tend to dwell mostly on the crimson, jewel-like fruit, which looks beautiful when scattered across dishes, giving the food a bright, sweet-tart flavour; it also makes one of the most refreshing juices. But the seeds and surrounding flesh of sour pomegranates, as opposed to the sweeter types that are eaten fresh, can be dried and used as a sour spice in Indian, Pakistani and Middle Eastern cuisines. Often called anardana, the dried seeds give the familiar... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3336206/how-use-dried-pomegranate-seeds-or-anardana-stewed-dishes-salads-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3336206/how-use-dried-pomegranate-seeds-or-anardana-stewed-dishes-salads-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Coffee is consumed most often as a drink, but it also makes for a distinctive seasoning. The seeds of the coffee fruit (called “cherries”, because that is what they resemble) are picked when the fruit ripens to a deep red colour. The pulp and skin are removed to reveal the green seed, which goes through several stages – including fermenting, washing, drying, hulling and grading – before the beans are stored or shipped. The processed beans can be stored in their dried green state for several... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3335848/how-use-coffee-beans-flavour-food-and-drinks-ice-cream-and-lamb-loin-vodka?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3335848/how-use-coffee-beans-flavour-food-and-drinks-ice-cream-and-lamb-loin-vodka?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung When people use citrus to cook with, they rarely consider using the fragrant leaves as well. Most are too tough to eat, but they can still be useful, as long as they have not been sprayed with pesticides. When I was a pastry chef, we used fresh lemon leaves to make decorative chocolate versions: we would paint tempered chocolate on the shiny side of the leaf and then chill it. The leaf was tough but flexible enough to peel away, leaving its imprint on the hardened chocolate. You can use other... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3334981/how-use-lime-leaves-thai-fried-chicken-dish-your-friends-will-love?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3334981/how-use-lime-leaves-thai-fried-chicken-dish-your-friends-will-love?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 07:15:09 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Juniper berries taste like how pine trees smell – sharp, resinous and clean. If you have ever had a gin and tonic, or a traditional martini – as opposed to one made with vodka or sake – you will recognise the taste of juniper, which is the main flavour component of gin. The so-called berry is actually the cone part of the juniper shrub, which is part of the cypress family. In areas where the plant grows – primarily in mountainous regions throughout the world, including Europe and India – the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3334100/how-use-juniper-berries-marinades-strong-meats-and-add-flavour-sauerkraut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3334100/how-use-juniper-berries-marinades-strong-meats-and-add-flavour-sauerkraut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung It can be difficult to take poppy seeds seriously, at least when they are used – as they so often are – as a garnish, sprinkled over bread or cakes. They are too small for your teeth to actually crunch – I am sure most of them are swallowed whole – and they only make their presence known long after you have eaten them, when someone lets you know that you have something unsightly stuck between your teeth. There is strength in numbers, however, and a multitude of poppy seeds can be quite tasty,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3333040/how-use-poppy-seeds-make-delicious-onion-bread-rolls-called-platzels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3333040/how-use-poppy-seeds-make-delicious-onion-bread-rolls-called-platzels?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 07:15:09 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Tamarind is a rather ugly fruit; in its natural state, the thin-shelled pod resembles old, dust-covered dog droppings. The taste, though, is anything but dry and dusty; it is sour and sweet. It is used as a seasoning in Africa, Southeast Asia and India, where it is usually available fresh, as a paste and as a thick, dark syrup. When buying fresh tamarind, look for pods that are swollen and full, rather than thin and flat, as this means they are ripe and therefore sweeter and less acidic. For... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3332606/tamarind-ugly-delicious-how-use-sour-sweet-fruit-make-thai-crunchy-fish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3332606/tamarind-ugly-delicious-how-use-sour-sweet-fruit-make-thai-crunchy-fish?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Nov 2025 07:15:09 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Although paprika is not native to Eastern Europe, it has long been associated with Hungarian cooking – it is used in goulash (a soup or stew with meat and vegetables) and chicken or veal paprikash, and gives a slight kick to roasted potatoes and buttered noodles. In Hungary, spice shops sell paprika with many different flavours and heat levels. If you find a spice shop that sells its products loose, ask to smell the paprika before buying – if it is fragrant, it should still be full of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3331761/how-use-paprika-hungarian-food-staple-give-fried-chicken-and-potato-dishes-kick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3331761/how-use-paprika-hungarian-food-staple-give-fried-chicken-and-potato-dishes-kick?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Lemongrass is a useful plant. It is used as an insect repellent and also yields citronella oil, which is said to soothe the stomach, ease depression and stimulate the mind. Of course, it also has culinary uses. The thick, tough, juicy stalks of the lemongrass plant are used as a flavouring in many Southeast Asian cuisines. The flavour is somewhat like lemon, but more subtle and complex. Lemongrass is usually sold as stalks that are about 30cm (12 inches) long. Most of the plant needs to be... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3330416/lemongrass-recipe-how-make-vietnamese-rice-noodles-lemongrass-chicken?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3330416/lemongrass-recipe-how-make-vietnamese-rice-noodles-lemongrass-chicken?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 07:15:15 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung The phrase “wild ginseng hunter” does not have quite the same manly ring as “big game hunter”, although I am not sure about what is so macho about using big guns to kill animals – many of which cannot even be used for food – to the brink of extinction. But hunting wild ginseng is not exactly a stroll in the park. The wild plant – which is harvested for its root – grows in unpolluted, mountainous areas that are often difficult to reach, and it takes a sharp eye to find because it blends in with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3328921/how-use-ginseng-make-delicious-chicken-soup-and-roots-supposed-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3328921/how-use-ginseng-make-delicious-chicken-soup-and-roots-supposed-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 07:15:09 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Chinese fermented black beans – known in Cantonese as dou si – are powerful little umami bombs that add an intense, rich savouriness to whatever they are cooked with. They are made from soybeans, which, when dried, range in colour from ivory to yellow. After being salted and fermented, they turn black and resemble large, dusty rat droppings. But do not let their appearance fool you – they are delicious, although because their flavour is so strong and pungent, they should be used... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3328367/how-chinese-fermented-black-beans-add-umami-explosion-any-dish-and-2-recipe-ideas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3328367/how-chinese-fermented-black-beans-add-umami-explosion-any-dish-and-2-recipe-ideas?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 07:15:07 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Of all the potted herbs I have had on my balcony, thyme is one of the few success stories. The mint plant is weedy, and the culantro is needy, but despite my black thumb, the thyme plant has not died yet. In fact, it gives me far more of the herb than I can use. Thyme has a beautiful fragrance, not just the small leaves but also the tough, woody stem. It also dries well, although I still prefer the herb fresh: tie a bunch of thyme with kitchen twine and hang it upside down in a warm, sunny spot,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3327230/why-thyme-so-fine-plus-delicious-stuffed-pork-chop-recipe-using-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3327230/why-thyme-so-fine-plus-delicious-stuffed-pork-chop-recipe-using-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 07:15:07 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Turmeric is, to my palate, indelibly associated with Indian cuisine, which is why, when I taste it in non-Indian dishes, it comes as a bit of a surprise. I remember tasting it once at a cheap Spanish restaurant in Hong Kong, where the cooks substituted it for the much more expensive saffron – only the colours are similar; the flavours are a world apart. I also tasted it at Cha Ca La Vong, in Hanoi, Vietnam, where the spice was a key part of the restaurant’s signature dish of fish with rice... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3310108/all-about-turmeric-how-cooks-use-it-and-recipe-makes-most-spice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3310108/all-about-turmeric-how-cooks-use-it-and-recipe-makes-most-spice?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jun 2025 07:15:07 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Chilli is a spicy spice, but how hot it is depends on the cultivar – some types are mild, while others can burn on contact with the skin. They also differ in spiciness according to the conditions in which the plant has been grown, how ripe the chilli fruit is when it is harvested and whether the hottest parts of the chilli are used. Dried chilli is much hotter than fresh because the flavour is concentrated. Chilli is used in sauces and pastes, where it is almost always mixed with other... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3310087/all-about-chilli-how-cooks-use-it-and-recipe-makes-most-hot-spice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3310087/all-about-chilli-how-cooks-use-it-and-recipe-makes-most-hot-spice?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 07:15:06 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung I am not sure why mace is not as well known as its twin, nutmeg. The two spices come from the fruit of the Myristica fragrans tree – mace is the seed coating and nutmeg the seed. But while nutmeg is quite common – which cook, after all, does not have a nutmeg in the spice cupboard for grating onto eggnog or adding to a béchamel sauce? – mace is not. The two spices are prised together out of the fruit, and the mace, which tightly surrounds the nutmeg, is removed. When processed, nutmeg is a hard... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3309391/what-mace-all-about-nutmegs-less-known-twin-how-cooks-use-it-and-recipe-idea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3309391/what-mace-all-about-nutmegs-less-known-twin-how-cooks-use-it-and-recipe-idea?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 May 2025 07:15:07 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung The young ginger in the markets in late spring is very different from the old ginger that is available year-round. Yes, they are both a rhizome and come from the same plant but the former is harvested when the shoots are off-white with pink tips. Young ginger is moist and tender with a very thin, edible skin and mild flavour. It is often eaten as a vegetable or made into a pickle. Old ginger has been allowed to mature on the plant and the skin is thicker, the flesh fibrous and the flavour hot... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3309090/all-about-ginger-young-and-old-how-pickle-it-and-recipe-makes-most-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3309090/all-about-ginger-young-and-old-how-pickle-it-and-recipe-makes-most-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 May 2025 07:15:07 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung Cardamom is a spice I love, even though I do not use it often. I add a small amount of the ground spice when I make Danish pastries and delicate chickpea-flour cookies, and use a pod or two when I am cooking an Indian- or Middle Eastern-inspired dish, but that is about the extent of it. It is a spice that should be used sparingly: with most preparations, a subtle hint of its distinctive flavour is much better than a strong jolt of it. I once accidentally bit into a whole cardamom pod I had used... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3308645/what-cardamom-good-how-make-most-spice-its-varieties-and-recipe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3308645/what-cardamom-good-how-make-most-spice-its-varieties-and-recipe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 May 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Susan Jung Susan Jung I love the intense, licorice-y flavour of aniseed, although it’s not a spice everyone appreciates. To me, it seems a little old-fashioned, perhaps because of the vintage-looking packaging of Flavigny violet or rose pastilles. At the centre of each hard, round bonbon is a whole aniseed. The spice (which is actually the fruit of the Pimpinella anisum rather than the seed) has many uses. It gives the distinctive flavour to liqueurs such as Pernod, sambuca, absinthe, ouzo, arak and raki. Because... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3305968/all-about-aniseed-how-use-it-cooking-and-recipe-makes-most-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3305968/all-about-aniseed-how-use-it-cooking-and-recipe-makes-most-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Apr 2025 07:15:07 +0000 “Somebody said I must have starved to death in a former life,” says Susan Jung in her signature deadpan. We’re sat at her vast wooden dining table after a long lunch of fiery som tam (Thai papaya salad), fluffy steamed rice and three generous plates of fried chicken, chased up with oozing Camembert, a loaded fruit platter and a casual tasting of her favourite Japanese potato snacks (Hula’s Maui chips, sour cream flavour), but she is still very much concerned that I did not have enough to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3218733/it-just-unleashed-inner-me-how-fried-chicken-became-focus-first-cookbook-susan-jung-ending-her-25?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3218733/it-just-unleashed-inner-me-how-fried-chicken-became-focus-first-cookbook-susan-jung-ending-her-25?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Apr 2023 03:15:17 +0000 This is a pretty, elegant and easy-to-make starter for a dinner party. The pickled shallot and Parmesan-paprika palmiers can be made several days in advance. You can prepare the ingredients for the veal tartare a couple of hours before serving, but be sure to store the hand-chopped meat in the coldest part of the refrigerator. Veal tartare with pickled shallot, finger limes and Parmesan-paprika palmiers Because veal is leaner than beef, tartare made with this meat is lighter in texture and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3181051/how-make-veal-tartare-pickled-shallot-finger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3181051/how-make-veal-tartare-pickled-shallot-finger?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Jun 2022 20:15:12 +0000 Empanadas come with a wide variety of fillings, and are either baked or fried. In restaurants, I prefer the fried version, but baked ones are lighter and easier to cook. Empanadas with cream cheese pastry I love to use this dough for sweet and savoury tarts and pies because it is easy to roll out and, when baked, is rich and resilient, with a light flakiness. It is not traditionally used for empanadas, but it is delicious. The dough recipe is adapted from one in The Pie and Pastry Bible (1998),... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3180176/how-make-empanadas-cream-cheese-pastry-filled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3180176/how-make-empanadas-cream-cheese-pastry-filled?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jun 2022 20:15:16 +0000 This is a delicious summer meal that doesn’t take long to cook, although the lamb needs a few hours to marinate. Because the lamb is butterflied (deboned and flattened), it takes only about 20 minutes under the grill. Butterflied leg of lamb with garlic, anchovies and moutarde violette The first time I made this, I just threw a bunch of ingredients into the food processor, then slathered the mixture onto the lamb. When my guests asked for the recipe, I couldn’t give it to them because I didn’t... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3179260/how-make-butterflied-leg-lamb-garlic-anchovies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3179260/how-make-butterflied-leg-lamb-garlic-anchovies?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 May 2022 21:15:15 +0000 The citrus fruit calamansi, which is also called calamondin, hails from the Philippines. It is small – only about 2cm in diameter – but it’s intense and tart. The fruit is usually harvested when the rind is still green but, even when underripe, the flesh is bright orange. It makes a fantastic drink – stir it into tonic water, adding a shot (or two) of rum if you want an alcoholic hit. It is also delicious in this tart. Calamansi and crème fraîche tart with toasted macadamia crust and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3178191/how-make-calamansi-and-creme-fraiche-tart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3178191/how-make-calamansi-and-creme-fraiche-tart?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 May 2022 03:15:10 +0000 I love tarragon, the delicate, green herb with an elusive, complex, anise-y flavour. It goes well with seafood and chicken and is an essential ingredient in Béarnaise sauce, which is often served with steak. Many recipes will tell you that tarragon should be used in small quantities, or it will be overwhelming. I’ve found, though, that it depends on the tarragon: some varieties have a lot more flavour than others. Taste a few leaves before you use it, and adjust accordingly. Tarragon chicken... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3177486/how-make-tarragon-chicken-fingerling-potatoes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3177486/how-make-tarragon-chicken-fingerling-potatoes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 May 2022 21:15:22 +0000 Sweetbreads are one of the most versatile of organ meats. They are tender, moist and rich, but probably not very good for you if you suffer from high cholesterol. The flavour is quite neutral, so they should be served with an assertive sauce. Pan-fried sweetbreads with mushrooms and polenta It is easiest if you start preparing the sweetbreads the day before you want to serve them because they need to be soaked in water for several hours to leech out the blood. The next day, the sweetbreads are... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3176626/how-make-pan-fried-sweetbreads-mushrooms-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3176626/how-make-pan-fried-sweetbreads-mushrooms-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 May 2022 20:15:11 +0000 I love this salad – it’s hearty but not heavy. It makes great picnic or barbecue fare (although you’ll need to increase the quantity); just pack the elements (hummus, quinoa salad, arugula/rocket and squid) separately and place on plates when it’s time to eat. Quinoa salad with seared squid, arugula and hummus Whenever I prepare chickpeas, I start by cooking them in a pressure cooker because it takes much less time than simmering them the conventional way. But with this method, it’s difficult to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3175832/how-make-quinoa-salad-seared-squid-arugula-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3175832/how-make-quinoa-salad-seared-squid-arugula-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Apr 2022 20:15:19 +0000 Tender, slightly sweet and rich with a large quantity of butter and eggs, brioche is a delicious, indulgent bread. The dough also makes an excellent, somewhat unusual crust for tarts. It is a lovely dough to handle – because it has so much fat, it is silky smooth. Fig and raspberry tart with pistachio frangipane and a brioche crust Search out SAF instant yeast with a gold, white and blue label: it is made specifically for doughs that contain a fairly high amount of sugar. The butter for the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3175390/how-make-fig-and-raspberry-tart-brioche-crust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3175390/how-make-fig-and-raspberry-tart-brioche-crust?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Apr 2022 20:15:13 +0000 When it comes to dinner parties, I often cook lamb. It is available year-round (except for the extra-tender, pale-pink spring lamb) and has so much flavour that it is hard to ruin. I usually roast a lamb leg to medium-rare, but with lamb shoulder, which has more fat and connective tissue, I use a moist heat and cook it slowly for a long time, so it’s tender but not dry. Slow-cooked lamb shoulder with ras el hanout, preserved lemon and peas If you have time to plan in advance, salt the lamb two... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3173851/how-make-slow-cooked-lamb-shoulder-ras-el-hanout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3173851/how-make-slow-cooked-lamb-shoulder-ras-el-hanout?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Apr 2022 20:15:16 +0000 This is a perfect spring meal, with the whole main course – meat, vegetables and starch – served in one pan. The only thing you need to add is crusty bread, either home-made or shop-bought, and perhaps a green salad with a sharp vinaigrette. The dessert requires several hours to set. Chicken with morels, petits pois and spring vegetables The vegetable list in this recipe is just a suggestion; feel free to substitute whatever fresh, seasonal young vegetables you can find, such as ramps and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3172580/how-make-chicken-mushrooms-peas-and-spring?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3172580/how-make-chicken-mushrooms-peas-and-spring?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Mar 2022 20:15:20 +0000 I love veal shanks because the bones are filled with rich marrow and, when cooked low and slow, the meat has a silky texture. In this dish, the veal is cooked with porcini mushrooms, anchovy fillets and other umami-rich ingredients. At the end, the flavours are brightened with a citrusy gremolata sauce. Braised veal shanks with porcini and gremolata You will need a wide skillet to hold the meat in one layer; if you don’t have one large enough, divide the ingredients between two pans. I cook this... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3171683/how-make-braised-veal-shanks-porcini-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3171683/how-make-braised-veal-shanks-porcini-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Mar 2022 20:15:13 +0000 For this, my last recipe column for the South China Morning Post, I’m giving you a dish that so many people have asked for: crunchy fish. It’s the creation of Tass – our Thai helper, who makes delicious kung chae nampla (raw shrimp salad), pad thai, grilled pork neck and fried shrimp salad. She makes variations on crunchy fish for every dinner party we have, and invariably, there’s nothing left on the serving platter. Thai crunchy fish Tass likes to use white sea bass (which is in the croaker... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3169982/how-make-thai-crunchy-fish-dinner-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3169982/how-make-thai-crunchy-fish-dinner-party?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Mar 2022 20:15:14 +0000 The Philippines is heaven for pork lovers. Probably the most impressive dish is lechon, where a young pig is roasted whole until the meat is succulent and the skin is crisp, then served as the centrepiece to a feast. But pork is used in many other dishes, and no part of the animal is wasted: the blood and innards are made into dinuguan, a stew which is far more delicious than it looks; the head and other extremities left over from lechon can be chopped up and used for sisig; the meat is used to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3168166/how-make-lechon-kawali-filipino-style-crispy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3168166/how-make-lechon-kawali-filipino-style-crispy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Feb 2022 20:15:19 +0000 Lamb doesn’t feature much in Cantonese cuisine, because people think the flavour is too strong. It is eaten in other parts of China, though, where often it is cooked with distinctive flavours to balance the taste. Young lamb has a much milder taste than older lamb, so choose smaller chops for this recipe. Lamb chops with black beans, cumin, chillies, Sichuan peppercorns and vegetables You don’t absolutely need to “French” the chops – trim the meat from the top part of the bone – but it looks... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3167393/how-make-lamb-chops-black-beans-cumin-chillies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3167393/how-make-lamb-chops-black-beans-cumin-chillies?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Feb 2022 20:15:22 +0000 One of my favourite Thai “salads” (although it’s a bit short on vegetables) is kung chae nampla – raw shrimp (or prawns) served with a fiery dressing. The dressing should be on the far edge of your spice tolerance, because, as with every good Thai dish, the “hot” element is balanced by the sour, salty and sweet flavours. To make each mouthful even more delicious and complex, there’s bitterness provided by bitter melon, which also serves to cool the palate. Thai raw prawn salad (Kung chae... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3166509/how-make-thai-raw-prawn-salad-sweet-shrimps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3166509/how-make-thai-raw-prawn-salad-sweet-shrimps?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Feb 2022 20:15:13 +0000 Fresh plums have a long season – you can find different varieties in the market for most of the year. Plums and raspberries are a classic culinary combination. For the best flavour and colour in this recipe, choose firm varieties of purple plums that aren’t overly juicy; depending on availability, I use sugar plums or black pluots (which are a delicious cross between plums and apricots). Save the juicy varieties for eating on their own. Plum and raspberry pie I prefer my pies a little on the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3165381/how-make-plum-and-raspberry-pie-sweet-tart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3165381/how-make-plum-and-raspberry-pie-sweet-tart?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Feb 2022 20:15:09 +0000 Jer jer (sometimes spelled je je) is a cooking style that gets its name from the sound the ingredients supposedly make as they sizzle in a clay pot. Often, it refers to chicken served in a clay pot, but it is also used for vegetables. This is a great dish for the Lunar New Year. It takes just a few minutes to cook, and is absolutely delicious. For a New Year feast, you might want to use Chinese lettuce (or small heads of romaine) – cut through the stem into four wedges – because sang choi is... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3164936/how-make-chinese-sizzling-vegetable-pot-jer-jer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3164936/how-make-chinese-sizzling-vegetable-pot-jer-jer?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jan 2022 20:15:12 +0000 One of the dishes I remember my grandmother making for the Lunar New Year is Buddha’s delight, or fat choi jai. The dish gets its Chinese name from fat choi – a blue-green algae often called hairy moss seaweed (although it doesn’t come from the sea), and also for a traditional New Year greeting of kung hei fat choi – a wish for prosperity. The problem with fat choi is that its overharvesting is causing desertification where it’s grown in Inner Mongolia and other parts of China. It is actually... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3164065/how-make-buddhas-delight-or-fat-choi-jai-lunar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3164065/how-make-buddhas-delight-or-fat-choi-jai-lunar?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jan 2022 20:15:19 +0000 Like a lot of people, I am making the effort to eat less meat, especially when dining at home. I’ve never cooked with mock meat, but where I can, I substitute the original protein-rich vegetarian staple of bean curd and mushrooms. Vegetarian mapo tofu Mapo tofu was easy to convert into a vegetarian/vegan version, because the original dish had only a scant amount of meat in the first place. I actually prefer mapo tofu without meat, because mushrooms add so much texture. Use at least two types of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3163256/how-make-vegetarian-mapo-tofu-who-needs-meat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3163256/how-make-vegetarian-mapo-tofu-who-needs-meat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jan 2022 20:15:14 +0000 I love donburi – “rice bowls” that can have toppings as varied as tempura or grilled eel to chicken and egg. Donburi is not a fancy meal; instead, it is hearty and comforting. Butadon Butadon, which features sliced pork and onions, is quick to make, and the recipe varies from cook to cook. I’ve seen versions without onions, for instance. Once the rice is cooked, the rest of the dish takes less than 15 minutes to prepare. You don’t need to marinate the meat, and the pork and onions are cooked... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3162374/how-make-butadon-japanese-rice-bowls-pork-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3162374/how-make-butadon-japanese-rice-bowls-pork-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jan 2022 20:15:15 +0000 Although most people think of butter only as being made from cow’s milk and as either salted or unsalted (sometimes called “sweet”), there are many different types. Butter can be made with milk from water buffalo, goats or yak (although you won’t find yak butter in the average supermarket), and flavoured with anything from seaweed to yuzu to chilli. One of my favourite butters is flavoured with piment d’Espelette – a mild chilli from the French commune of Espelette. I like to use it in tart... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3161655/how-make-roasted-vegetable-tart-piment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3161655/how-make-roasted-vegetable-tart-piment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Dec 2021 09:21:52 +0000 Many people are under the misconception that custard is a packaged yellow powder that’s mixed with water or milk to make instant crème anglaise and pastry cream. But these powdered mixes don’t come close to the deliciousness of home-made custard, which – at its most basic – is a mixture of egg and liquid, sometimes with the addition of sugar, that’s cooked to make crème anglaise, pastry cream, crème brûlée, chawanmushi (Japanese savoury custard) or other dishes. Bread pudding with crème anglaise... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3160766/how-make-bread-pudding-whisky-sauce-and-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/food-drink/article/3160766/how-make-bread-pudding-whisky-sauce-and-home?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Dec 2021 11:15:17 +0000