• Place the apricots, ginger, garlic, red chilli, fresh rosemary and thyme in a food processor and turn into thick textured paste
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the minced pork with the blended paste and all the seasonings.
• Use your hands to mix the ingredients thoroughly. Ensure that the blended paste and seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the meat.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
• Use the sausage meat in your desired recipes. Form it into ball or sausage shapes, use it as a stuffing for poultry, or incorporate it into dishes like sausage rolls.

• Light your charcoal grill.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, chopped onion, chopped tomato, corriander, mint leaves, green chillies, and ginger-garlic paste.
• Add the crushed pomegranate seeds, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well to combine.
• Optionally, add an egg to the mixture and mix thoroughly. This can help bind the kebabs together.
• Allow the mixture to rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
• Shape the mixture into flat, round patties.
• Brush the patties with a little cooking oil to prevent sticking on the grill.
• When the coals are glowing and white, grill the patties, turning occasionally, until they are cooked through and have a nice char on the outside. This should take about 10-15 minutes, depending on your grill.
• Once cooked, remove the patties from the grill and serve hot with your favourite naan or similar bread, chutney or sauce.

Prepare the Octopus

• Clean the octopus thoroughly under running water.
• Place the cleaned octopus in a plastic bag or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze it for at least 24 hours. Freezing and thawing the octopus helps to break down the cell structure, making it more tender. This is a common method used in Spain.
• Remove the beak from the centre of the tentacles.
• Fill a large saucepan with water. Add the halved onion, bay leaves, and 1 tablespoon of sea salt.
• Bring the water to a boil.

Cook the Octopus

• Submerge the octopus into the boiling water three times, holding it by the head, to help curl the tentacles.
• Leave the octopus in the boiling water and cook for about 40-50 minutes or until it becomes tender. Check tenderness by inserting a fork; it should penetrate easily.
• Once cooked, remove the octopus from the pot and let it cool for a few minutes.

Prepare the Potatoes

• While the octopus is cooking, peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks.
• Boil the potatoes in salted water until they are tender but still firm.
• Once cooked, let the potatoes cool slightly. Then, cut them into thin slices.

Slice the Octopus

• Slice the octopus into bite-sized pieces. Aim for a thickness of about half an inch.

Assemble the Dish

• Arrange the sliced potatoes on a serving platter or individual plates.
• Place the sliced octopus on top of the potatoes.
• Drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil.
• Sprinkle with Spanish smoked paprika and coarse sea salt to taste. Adjust the quantities based on your preference.

Garnish and Serve

• Garnish the dish with freshly chopped parsley.
• Serve Pulpo a la Gallega warm as a tapa or a main course.

Accompany with Alioli (Garlic Mayonnaise)

• Some variations of this dish are served with a side of aioli. You can make aioli by mixing crushed garlic with mayonnaise until you achieve a creamy consistency. Serve it on the side for dipping.

Prepare the kidneys

• Clean the veal kidneys and remove any membranes or white parts. Cut them into uniform-sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

Sauté the pearl onions and shallots

• In a skillet, melt one tablespoon of butter. Add the red chilli, pearl onions & finely chopped shallots and sauté until the shallots are translucent. Note: the addition of red chilli is not part of a traditional Normandy recipe, but adds another level of flavour that I like!

Brown the kidneys

• Add the kidney pieces to the skillet. Cook them quickly over high heat until they are golden brown on the outside but still slightly pink inside. Set aside and keep warm.

Add calvados and cream

• Pour the Calvados into the skillet. Be cautious of flames, as alcohol can ignite. Allow the Calvados to deglaze the pan and reduce the volume by half.
• Pour in the veal stock and heavy cream and let the mixture simmer for a few minutes.
• As the sauce starts to thicken, add the kidneys and simmer until the sauce has thickened.

Season and garnish

• Season the dish with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Serve

• Serve the veal kidneys with Calvados over rice, pasta, or with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.

Stage 1 - boiling

• Place all the Stage 1 ingredients in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 2 hours

Stage 2 - baking

• Make a glaze by mixing the Stage 2 ingredients in a bowl.
• Deeply score the pork belly into 2cm cubes, leaving the cubes connected. Rub the glaze into the meat.
• Place the glazed meat on a layer of foil in a baking tray, place in an oven at 220°C and cook for 30-45 minutes or until the crackling has risen and looks crispy all over. Baste the meat with the glaze from time to time.

Stage 3 - garnish

• Place the glazed meat on a flat serving plate and garnish with the Stage 3 ingredients - chopped red chillis and spring onions
• Cut off squares of meat with garnish and serve

Chicken marinade

• Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, combine the diced chicken with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch. Mix well and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
• Make the sauce: In another bowl, combine dark soy sauce, vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Set the sauce aside.

Cooking

• Add oil and the peanuts at the same time. Keep stirring continuously for about 5 minutes until the peanuts get really fragrant. Don’t stop stirring, or they may burn. Turn off the heat and take the peanuts out. Let the peanuts cool completely; they get really hot during the cooking process, so handle them with care! After they’ve cooled off, the peanuts will become crunchy.
• Grind half of the Sichuan peppercorns in mortar and pestle. Combine with spring onion greens and set to one side.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok over high heat. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry until it is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the wok and set it aside.
• Add the remaining one tablespoon of oil to the wok. Add the dried red chillies and whole garlic cloves. Stir-fry for a few seconds until they start to darken. Add the minced garlic, minced ginger and doubanjiang. Stir-fry until fragrant.
• Add the remaining ground Sichuan peppercorns and fermented black beans. Stir-fry for another minute.
• Return the chicken to the wok. Pour in the sauce and stir everything together to coat the chicken evenly with the sauce.
• Add the chopped spring onions and continue stir-frying for another minute or so until the green onions are slightly wilted.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed.
• Add the pan-fried peanuts. Mix for 15 seconds.
• Serve hot over steamed rice.

• Season the kudu steaks with salt and pepper on both sides.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the kudu steaks and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or to your desired level of doneness. Remove the steaks from the skillet and set them aside on a plate.
• In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and garlic, and sauté until they become fragrant and translucent.
• Add the sliced mushrooms to the skillet and cook until they are golden brown and have released their juices.
• Pour in the heavy cream and beef or game stock. Stir in the Dijon mustard and let the sauce simmer and reduce for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.
• Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.
• Return the seared kudu steaks to the skillet, nestling them into the creamy mushroom sauce.
• Allow the steaks to heat through for a minute or two in the sauce.
• Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

• In a pan, dry roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and fenugreek leaves until they become fragrant. Let them cool.
• Grind the roasted spices into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.

Chicken

• Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and make 2-3 deep cuts in each piece to allow the marinade to penetrate.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, Tandoori masala, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, vegetable oil, and salt. Mix well to form a smooth marinade.
• Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, ensuring that each piece is evenly coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and let it marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to develop.
• Preheat your oven to 475°F (245°C) or prepare a red-hot charcoal barbecue grill. If you have a tandoor oven, you can use that for a more authentic experience.
• Arrange the marinated chicken pieces on a baking tray lined with aluminum foil or place them on a wire rack set over a baking tray to allow the excess marinade to drip off.
• Bake/grill the chicken for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and slightly charred, flipping the pieces halfway through and basting with any leftover marinade.
• Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with lemon wedges, sliced onions, and mint chutney.

Tandoori masala

• In a large pot, heat some oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until they turn translucent.
• Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the pot. Sauté for a minute or until the raw smell disappears.
• Add the pieces of mutton or beef to the pot and cook until they are slightly browned.
• Pour enough water or broth into the pot to cover the meat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then let it simmer over low heat for about 1-2 hours, or until the meat is tender and the flavors are well infused.
• Add the ground cumin, black pepper, and salt to taste. Adjust the seasonings according to your preference.
• Add the noodles to the pot and cook until they are tender.
• Stir in most of the fresh coriander leave
• Serve the Yakni soup hot, garnished with remaining fresh coriander leaves for added freshness and flavour.