Prepare the meat

• Peel and cut the garlic cloves in half
• Make cuts all over the meat with a sharp knife and insert the garlic halves

Prepare the marinade

• Extract the lime zest and peel the lime
• Place the peeled lime and lime zest in the blender
• Place all the other ingredients, except the yohurt, into a blender and blend to a thick paste
• Add the yoghurt and mix well

Marinade the meat

• Place the lamb in an oval cast-iron pot and cover with the marinade.
• Rub the marinade all over the leg of lamb and into the garlic filled slits
• Cover and leave to marinade for twenty-four hours in a fridge

Roast the meat

• Half an hour before roasting begins remove the lamb from the fridge and bring to room temperature
• Preheat oven to 180C and roast meat (uncovered) for:

  - one hour and twenty minutes (slightly pink)

  or

  - one hour and forty minutes (well-cooked)
• Cover with foil halfway through roasting to stop marinade from burning

Accompaniments

• Serve with rice, aloo gobi

Marinade the chicken

• You can use fewer dried chillies if you like. Smash a few of the chillies to give the dish some heat. The more you smash, the greater the heat!
• Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl.
• Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, place in the bowl and toss with the marinade. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Prepare the rest of the dish

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok over high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, and let it sear without stirring until there is a crisp crust on the bottom of the chicken. Turn the chicken pieces over and repeat until it’s browned and crisp on all sides. Turn off the heat and remove the chicken to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Make sure there is about one tablespoon of oil left in the wok. Heat the wok over medium-low heat and add the Sichuan peppercorns. Toast them in the oil for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the zha cai, ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the whole dried chillies and stir for another minute.
• Turn up the heat to high, and add the chicken, Shaoxing wine, sugar, and scallion. Continue to stir-fry, until any liquid in the wok has evaporated. Serve with rice and something like steamed pak choi.

Marinate

• Prepare the chicken and other ingredients to be marinated and place in a large ceramic bowl. Add the wine, cover it with cling film, and marinate it for 24 in a fridge.
• 24 hours later, drain the marinade into a bowl using a colander. Leave to drain for 45 minutes. Retain the liquid for later use.

Prepare the garnish

• Place the pearl onions and chicken stock in a pan and simmer until the onions are just cooked (about 20 minutes)
• Separate the chicken from the vegetables/herbs and pat dry with kitchen towels. When dry, dust with plain flour. Season with salt and pepper.

Brown the chicken

• Brown the chicken in a large casserole with the olive oil and butter. Remove to a bowl when cooked (5-7mins) and set aside.

Bring it together

• Add the vegetables and herbs to the casserole pan and cook for 5 minutes on a moderate heat.
• Add the browned chicken, reduced stock and marinade to the casserole, and cook for 20 mins.

Prepare and add the garnish

• While the browned chicken, vegetables, herbs and marinade are cooking, fry the bacon lardons in a non-stick frying pan for 45 seconds. Add the button mushrooms and cook for a further four minutes. Add to the browned chicken when ready.

• Preheat oven to 220C
• In a mixing bowl or jug, stir the salt in 100g plain flour and create a well in the middle.
• Crack in the eggs into a bowl and when you have checked they are good to eat, add to the salt/flour mix
• Add the milk in stages, whisking until the mixture has the consistency of pancake batter or double-cream. Note: replacing some of the milk with water produces a lighter, crisper, but less sweet pudding.
• Rest the batter rest the batter in a large jug for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours. This helps the puddings to rise fully during cooking because it allows the gluten to ‘relax’, relaxed gluten is more stretchy.
• Using a yorkshire pudding tray/cupcake tray, spoon in 1 tsp of beef dripping into each pan. Pour enough batter into each pan to fill it by 2/3. (This recipe makes 12 Yorkshire puddings).
• Place in the pre-heated oven for roughly 5 minutes.
• Take the tray carefully out of the oven by which point the beef dripping should be piping hot. Pour the Yorkshire pudding batter into each individual pan.
• Put the tray back into the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden and risen. Do not remove them if they look cooked after 15 minutes, or they will sink. Turn the oven down to 180C and cook for a further 10 minutes

• Mix dry ingredients and work in the butter
• Melt lard with syrup over low heat
• Pour lard/syrup over dry ingredients and mix well
• Add beaten egg and mix well
• Pour into a well-greased 20cm square baking tray and bake at 150C-160C for 45 minutes or so until the mixture is firm but not dry. It will rise and then go down during cooking.
• Cover with greaseproof paper and set aside in a cool place for a week before eating
• Cut into 16 squares and serve.

Prepare

• Roughly chop all the dried fruit and soak in any dark rum or brandy for about one week – if pushed for time a few days will suffice.
  
• Combine the flour, bread crumbs and whisked egg in a large mixing bowl
• Add the suet, grated carrots and apples and mix well
  
• Add the sugar and suet, followed by the other ingredients and mix well
  
• Grease the inside of the pudding basin with butter and place a circle of greased, grease-proof paper in the base of the 2.5-pint pudding basin
• Place the mixture in the prepared 2.5-pint pudding basin
• Place a circle of grease-proof paper on top of the pudding mix
• Cover the pudding bowl containing pud mix with grease-proof paper, pleat across the centre, then tie on with string.
• Cover the grease-proof paper lid with pleated foil and secure it with string. Add a loop of string across the top of the bowl to form a handle for lifting the pudding bowl.
• Steam the pudding on a trivet for 8 hours. Top up the water at regular intervals to prevent the pan from boiling dry.
• Repeat steaming for a further 8 hours on the following day.
• Store in a cool place for at least a month to mature.

Serve

• On the day, re-steam for 2 hours or microwave: set microwave power level to 400-500 watts and heat the pudding for 10-15 minutes.
• Carefully remove the foil and grease-proof paper cover, and turn the pudding onto a large plate. Use a palette knife to free the pudding from the inside of the bowl if needed.
• Garnish with a sprig of holly, preferably with holly berries
• Warm a serving ladle half filled with brandy over a flame. When it catches fire, pour over the pudding and carry to the table. The effect is improved by darkening the room.
• Serve with Brandy butter and/or fresh cream and/or vanilla ice cream

Creamy mash

• Peel and chop the potatoes
• Boil in lightly salted water for 15-20 minutes
• Drain off the water
• Add the butter and milk
• Mash to a fine puree and set aside

Lamb base

• Fry the mince in a large saucepan until the meat is browned. Break up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Set aside
• Gently sauté the onions, carrots, garlic and celery hearts for around 20 minutes or until they are soft, stirring frequently
• Add the Bay leaves, frozen peas, thyme, seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, tamarind paste, stock, red wine and deglaze the pan
• Add the plain flour and browned lamb mince, and stir until the flour has thickened the base. Simmer for five minutes.
• Assemble the Shepherd's Pie
• Pour the base into a large oven-proof dish
• Spoon the mashed potato over the base. Spread to cover the base.
• Use a fork to level the mash and make a pretty pattern. Sprinkle a handful of grated Cheddar cheese over the mash.
• Place into a heated oven at 200C (190C if fan oven) and cook for around 20 minutes or until the crust has browned.

Preparations

• Season the beef and allow to reach room temperature (2 hours)
• Cook the lardons in butter for 6-8 minutes in the casserole.
• Set aside, but leave the cooked fat in the casserole.
• Dust the beef cubes in flour and brown in the casserole. Cook in batches to ensure meat fries and is not boiled in the juices. Set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the Dutch-oven and add the carrots, pearl onions, chopped red chilli, thyme, chopped garlic and bay leaves. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the onions are glistening.
• Return the lardons and browned beef to the casserole
• Pour two glasses of cognac. Drink one and set the other to one side.
• Pour in the red wine, cognac and beef stock. The meat should just be covered. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes in the oven (180C). 
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked and lightly browned. 
• When the casserole has been cooking for 1 hour 30 minutes, remove and add the mushrooms. Return the casserole to the oven and cook for a further 30 minutes (180).

Serve

• Remove the casserole from the oven and let the dish rest for 15 minutes.
• Serve with boiled or mashed potatoes

Prepare the Fish Stock:

• In a large pot, combine the fish bones or fish heads with water, onion, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30-45 minutes to extract flavors. Strain the stock and discard the solids. Keep the stock warm.

Prepare the Curry Paste: I

• In a blender or food processor, combine the soaked dried chilies, shallots, garlic, ginger, shrimp paste, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and fish sauce. Blend until you have a smooth paste. Set aside.
• In a separate pot, heat the cooking oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until they turn translucent.

Prepare the curry

• Add the prepared curry paste to the pot and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5-7 minutes until the paste is fragrant and the raw smell disappears.
• Pour in the fish stock, add the bruised lemongrass stalks, and kaffir lime leaves. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
• Add the fish chunks, coriander roots, nigella seeds and tomatoes to the simmering curry. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
• In a small bowl, mix the chickpea flour or rice flour with a little water to form a smooth paste. Stir this paste into the curry to thicken it slightly. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Season the curry with salt to taste.

Garnish and serve

• Serve the Burmese Fish Curry (Mohinga) hot over cooked rice noodles or rice vermicelli. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with lime wedges and optional slices of hard-boiled eggs.

Prepare the Squid

• If using whole squid, clean them thoroughly by removing the head, beak, and internal organs. Peel off the skin and rinse well.
• Slice the squid into rings or tubes, depending on your preference.

Blanch the Squid

• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop the squid into the boiling water and blanch for about 1-2 minutes until they turn opaque.
• Quickly remove the squid from the boiling water and drain. Set aside to cool.

Make the Dressing

• In a small bowl, mix together fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar until the sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust the flavors according to your preference. You should have a balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy.

Assemble the Salad

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the blanched squid, sliced shallot, tomato wedges, sliced onion, chopped spring onions, Julienned carrot and mooli raddish, chopped coriander, and sliced red chillies.
• Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine, ensuring all ingredients are coated with the dressing.

Serve

• Arrange fresh lettuce leaves and grated cabbage on a serving plate.
• Transfer the squid salad onto the lettuce leaves.
• Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts and roasted chili flakes.
• Add cucumber slices for additional freshness.
• Serve the Yum Pla Muk immediately as a refreshing appetiser or as part of a Thai meal.