beef Archives

16

Nov 2023

Tagine

A traditional tagine is a North African dish named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. It’s a slow-cooked stew that typically includes a combination of meat, vegetables, dried fruits, and a mix of aromatic spices. I first ate this in Paris when I was a student. The accompanying sauce was the spiciest I had eaten at that point in my life.Since then, I have been to North Africa, with trips to Egypt, Somaliland, Tunisia and Morocco. It was in Morocco where I had my best tagines, which is why this recipe has a Morrocan flavour. We […]

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14

Nov 2023

Beef Bourguignon

Beef Bourguignon, also known as Boeuf Bourguignon, is a classic French stew that originated in the Burgundy region of France. It is a hearty and flavorful dish known for its tender pieces of beef slow-cooked in red wine with vegetables and aromatic herbs. The first time I tasted the rich, smoky flavour of this dish in France, I realised that the stews I had eaten in England had been missing something important. This is a perfect winter dish.Beef Bourguignon originated in the Burgundy region of France, which is also known as Bourgogne in French. The dish has its roots […]

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9

Nov 2023

Double-cooked pork belly

Known as Huí-GuōPork or double-cooked pork belly, this dish has a long history that can be traced back to the Song dynasty (960–1279). Its predecessor, “Yo Bao pork,” was recorded in the 《竹屿房杂部》, a book on longevity and lifestyle during the Ming dynasty, written by Song Xu.Double-cooked pork is inspired by Sichuan flavours and originally comes from the Sichuan region of China, which is why it’s so spicy. The Sichuan region is known for being humid and lush, an environment that produces many hot peppers and chilis, including the tribute pepper, Sichuan pepper, and Erjingtiao chilli.I first ate this in London’s Chinatown […]

Asia
Recipes

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2

Nov 2023

Chengdu Kung Pao Chicken

Chengdu Kung Pao chicken, also transcribed Gong Bao or Kung Po, is a spicy, stir-fried Chinese dish made with cubes of chicken, garlic, peanuts, vegetables and chilli peppers. The classic dish in Sichuan cuisine originated in the Sichuan province of southwestern China and includes Sichuan peppercorns. The first time I enjoyed this dish in Chengdu was in 1987; it consisted of cubes of chicken, whole garlic cloves, peanuts, and red chillis stir-fried together in more or less equal quantities. I had arrived in Chengdu after a 63-hour train journey from Guangzhou. After having to eat the good but plain food served on the train, this was an assault on my senses. After […]

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1

Nov 2023

Souvlaki

Souvlaki is a popular Greek dish consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer. It’s often served with pita bread, tzatziki, and various toppings such as tomatoes, and onions. I first tasted souvlaki in 1978, having caught a bus in London that took me to Athens for a £10.99 (as far as I remember) return fare. Just before boarding the bus back to London after three weeks in Greece, I found a nearby souvlaki stall and bought one of the best snacks I have ever eaten.

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1

Nov 2023

Kudu in cream sauce

Having hired a 4-wheel drive vehicle, we were driving around Namibia. One night, we stayed in a remote lodge that only had Kudu meat on the menu. This was a problem as the only meat my five-year-old son would eat was chicken. The greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros) is found throughout central & northern Namibia and is the second tallest antelope on the African continent. Kudu bulls bear long, spiral horns which reach record lengths of up to 1.8m. Horns grow to their full length at the age of six years.As we had been travelling all day, he needed to eat […]

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1

Nov 2023

Tandoori chicken

Tandoori chicken was one of the first Asian foods I tried to make in the early 1980s before I had travelled to India. At the time, using red food colouring was essential to produce something like the tandoori chicken seen in Indian restaurants. Since then, I have seen tasty chunks of chicken cooked on long skewers in tandoor ovens in India and saw no sign of red food colouring. Tandoori chicken is a popular Indian dish known for its vibrant color and rich, smoky flavors. Here’s a traditional tandoori chicken recipe for you: Enjoy your delicious homemade tandoori chicken! Tandoori […]

Asia
Recipes

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26

Oct 2023

Hilib Ari

Somaliland, a self-declared independent state, is known for its rich culinary traditions, often incorporating locally available ingredients such as camel meat, which is a staple in many dishes. One of the popular dishes featuring camel meat is “Hilib Ari,” a traditional Somali grilled camel meat recipe. My visit in December 2019 also taught me not to try camel milk before a long journey. My hosts suggested it would have had a laxative effect. When we got back from the long drive from Hargeisa to Berbera (and back), I tried camel milk tea and noticed no particular ‘side effects’.