Posts tagged coriander

Chickpea Curry, Coconut Yoghurt, Naan and Mango Chutney

October 24, 2016 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

am not a vegetarian (lets just make that clear) but sometimes meat just isn’t required. When flavour is so prominent there is sometimes no need for it and this curry certainly has a big punch of spice. If you’re going to make a curry, don’t be timid, the more spice the better in my eyes! And I reassure you that you won’t miss the meat in this one – chickpeas make a substantial replacement. However feel free to replace with diced chicken, whole chicken legs, chunky white fish or even lamb. Or keep it vegetarian but pulse free with chunky cauliflower or broccoli or stirring through some spinach at the end.

Homemade flatbreads, sweet mango chutney and a cooling coconut yoghurt are the perfect side dishes. Who needs a takeaway….

Serves 4

Curry

2 x cans chickpeas, drained
1 can (full fat) coconut milk
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 large/ 2 small red onions roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 red chilli, chopped
1 thumb piece ginger, grated
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp fengrueek seed
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp each ground cumin, coriander, garam marasal, curry powder, tumeric
5 cardamon pods
Bunch coriander
1 lime
Spinach or extra vegetable optional

Yoghurt & Flatbread

250g plain yoghurt
2 large handfuls desiccated coconut
500g self raising flour
1 tbsp nigella seeds
Milk
Mango chutney to serve

Start by mixing the flatbread dough. Add the flour, nigella seeds and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Add a small splash of milk (a little at a time) mixing as you go until you have a smooth dough that is not too wet. If you do add too much milk just counteract with some extra flour. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes until combined and smooth. Leave the dough ball to rest in a floured bowl while you make the curry.
Start the curry by toasting the whole spices in a hot dry frying pan for a few minutes to release the fragrance. When you smell them toasting remove from the heat and add to a pestle and mortar and grind well. Add the dry spices and set aside.
Heat a little vegetable oil in a frying pan/saucepan (bear in mind you will need the curry in a saucepan later so use whatever is easiest) and gently soften the red onion for about 10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry for a few more minutes.
Next add the spices to the onion mix and fry for about 2 minutes adding a splash more oil if needed.
Next add the tinned tomatoes and simmer gently for a minute mixing well to incorporate the onion spice mixture before adding the coconut milk to the sauce.
At this stage I recommend transferring the sauce to a saucepan with a lid if you haven’t already. Simmer gently for 5-10 minutes to thicken the sauce before adding the chickpeas. Season to taste and keep on the simmer while you make the flatbreads and yoghurt. Add a splash of water for a thinner sauce or simmer to reduce for a more concentrated texture (depending on preference)
Toast the coconut in a dry frying pan until just turning golden. Remove and add to the yoghurt. Set aside.
Take the rested flatbread dough and divide out into generous golf ball sized rounds. Roll into flatbreads, the thickness of a 10p piece and set each aside. Heat a dry frying pan on high and turn on the extractor fan! Dry fry the flatbreads on each side. They should puff up a little in pockets and char a little. You’ll have to play with your own hob temperature but a high heat is needed. Continue with all the breads, wrapping them in a pile in a clean tea towel to keep them warm and soft after each one.
(If adding any vegetables, add to the hot curry now and simmer until cooked.)
When the breads and yoghurt are done and the mango chutney is at hand and ready to go, chop a large handful or coriander and the stems and add to the curry. Squeeze in the juice of the lime and taste and adjust the flavour as needed.
Serve the curry in large warm bowls topped with the yoghurt, chutney and a scattering of coriander. Dip in your flatbreads to your hearts content.

Sticky Salmon-Pineapple Kebabs, Thai black rice salad

May 10, 2016 Comments Off read Seafood

‘m always surprised at the amount of people who are surprised at the flavour that rice can have on its own without additional added flavours. If you pick the right rice that is. If you’re used to the same old white or even brown rice then venture out! I use red French Camargue rice as my staple now due to its wonderful nutty flavour but after stumbling over some Thai black rice recently which fell into my innocent shopping basket I had a salad on the mind. A dark and nutty flavour goes wonderfully with Thai flavours and fruits. Try mango and prawns, basil and coriander (see here) which was my initial intention. However as a nod to the gorgeous weather this weekend a barbeque inspired kebab was required. Seeing as my garden-lacking London flat could not supply my bbq needs, a sticky, sweet and if you cook the salmon well, oh so tender kebab a top this fresh and herby Thai rice salad suited Sunday evening down to the ground. Cold beer to accompany and the BAFTAS.

Serves 2 (make 4 skewers)

2 salmon fillets, cut into 2cm chunks
1 fresh pineapple, cubed into 2cm chunks
Broccoli florets (about 6-8)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 large tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 tsp runny honey
Small knob ginger, grated
4 oz Thai black rice
4 spring onions, sliced
50g desiccated coconut
Bunch coriander, chopped (save some for garnish)
2 sheets nori seaweed, cut into small 1 cm wide pieces or strips (optional)
1 lime
4 skewers (soaked in water for 20 minutes)

Combine the soy sauce, sesame, honey and ginger in a bowl and mix well
Marinade the salmon chunks, broccoli florets and pineapple chunks in this mixture for 1 hour in the fridge.
After 1 hour, prepare your skewers. Feed alternating salmon and pineapple and broccoli chunks onto each. Set aside on a line baking tray and chill. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Meanwhile make the rice salad. Simmer the rice for around 25 minutes until just cooked with a little bite.
While this is cooking toasted the coconut in a dry frying pan until just bringing to turn golden. Watch it as it catches easily. When fragrant, remove and add to a bowl.
Combine with the chopped spring onions, coriander and the chopped nori sheets.
When the rice is ready, drain well. Immediately add the bowl of coconut and herbs and squeeze in the juice of the lime. Place a lid on top and keep warm.
Remove the salmon skewers from the fridge and heat a frying pan until hot and add a tsp of oil.
Sear the skewers on both sides to get a lovely caramelised effect all over. Add the rest of the marinade to the pan (it will sizzle) and then immediately transfer the skewers and the pan juices to the baking tray. Pop in the oven for 5 minutes to finish the cooking.
Meanwhile, plate up the rice in warm serving dishes. After 5 minutes check the salmon is tender and cooked through but just pink and remove from the oven. Top your Thai rice salad with the kebabs and any extra chopped coriander to garnish.

Dahl, Roasted Curried Cauliflower, Shredded Duck in Lime

May 1, 2016 Comments Off read Meat

ou won’t be surprised to hear it was another week of stressful and busy work so the long weekend glowed like a beacon on Friday evening with promises of yoga, long runs in the sun and some experimental time in the kitchen to blog and relax the mind. I woke to a beautiful sunny day and after a long run to clear the working cobwebs I was already on my way to some downtime. All that was required was some time in the kitchen.

With a stressful period at work keeping 90% of my mind on the task it was time to start planning my second supper club to focus and begin that excitement again! With the date confirmed and inked in the diary I was more than eager to start developing the menu! With just over 2 month before the (second) big day it might seem premature but to get the invites and advert out as soon as possible and the ticket confirmations rolling in the menu was vital. Starter done. Dessert done and obviously featuring ice cream the main needed some attention. With the somewhat limited kitchen facilities and equipment of my cosy, niche and atmospheric chosen venue the dish needed some attention. Ambition needs to be carefully managed and focussed int he right direction.

While flavour is key here using wholesome ingredients cooked from scratch I wanted a menu that would make my potential guests salivate on reading and be booking tickets on autopilot before they could say ‘Deliveroo’! Flavour vital but practicality is also a contender here when cooking solo for 30 paying guests. And in addition economics, aesthetics and style are also important. Factoring all these competing aspects and a love of all things spice this punchy dish was created. I won’t give anything away but the next supper club main with feature something along these lines…

Serves 4

4 duck legs
1 x speedy dahl recipe (see here) with juice of 1/2 lime added at the end.
1 cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds and cumin seeds
3 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
Handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
Handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 large lime

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Season the duck legs and roast for about 40 minutes in the oven.
Scatter the cauliflower florets in a large baking tray and drizzle with a good glut of olive oil.
Toss in the curry powder, turmeric cumin and mustard seeds and stir to coat. Add some seasoning.
After the duck has had 20 minutes of roasting add the cauliflower to the oven and roast for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile make the dahl and set aside to keep warm.
Once the duck and cauliflower are ready remove from the oven. leave the duck to rest for a few minutes before shredding the meat into a warm bowl with two forks and quickly squeezing over the juice of the fresh lime.
Toss the warm cauliflower in the spring onions and herbs.
To plate up, ensure you have warm shallow serving bowls or plates and spoon a generous spoonful of dahl onto the bottom and let it ooz out onto the plate. Top with a handful of the cauliflower before finally topping with a quarter of the shredded duck
Serve immediately while still warm and devour! Serve with warm homemade flatbreads or roti if needed.

WINE: This would be great with an aromatic white such as a Riesling or a Gervertz to balance the spice.

Turkish Spiced Meatballs

April 18, 2016 Comments Off read Meat

hilst the weather today has been glorious and sunny its still felt a little chilly around the ankles and certainly not the April weather I was hoping for! But as long as it isn’t April showers and May holds more promise then I can cope with that. So a Sunday evening after a long and satisfying gym session, run and ahem…jacuzzi session….a home comfort was required to replenish the nutrients and fuel me for another challenging week at work. But nothing on ‘forage in the pantry’ can be complete without the odd scattering of spice, dusting of chopped herbs or middle Eastern influence. So with Istanbul on the mind as the new top draw on my prized ‘must visit’ list, Turkish meatballs sprang to hungry mind and it wasn’t long before I was enjoying a satisfied hunger.

Serves 2

Meatballs

450g minced lamb
2 tbsp raisins
3 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped
Pinch smoked paprika
Pinch ground cumin
Handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Sauce

1 can chopped tomatoes
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin seed, crushed
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
50g pearl barley/100g giant cous cous
Large handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

Start by combining the meatball ingredients in a large bowl with some seasoning. Shape into 8 large golf ball sized meatballs and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
Simmer the pearl barley/giant cous cous in boiling water until cooked according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside to keep warm.
Preheat the over to 170°C and remove the meatballs from the fridge. Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
Fry the meatballs to seal and brown for 2-3 minutes. Once well browned on the outside, wrap in some foil and place in the low oven to bake slowly while you prepare the sauce.
Fry the chopped onion in the leftover lamb juices in the same frying pan adding a little more oil if needed. Soften for 5 minutes until translucent and beginning to brown. Add the chopped garlic and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the ground spices and mix to coat the onion.
Add the chopped tomatoes and a little hot water to thin the sauce to the desired consistency and add some salt and pepper.
Simmer for 5 minutes before adding the vinegar, the drained barely and all but a handful of the parsley. Taste and adjust accordingly. Add a little more water if needed.
Remove the meatballs from the over and add, with any juices from the foil, to the pan. Simmer for a few minutes to heat through.
Serve in deep warmed bowls topped with a scattering of the remaining parsley.

Urfa Chilli Salmon, Polenta Chips, Smashed Avocado

February 21, 2016 Comments Off read Extras, Seafood

ts been a long and draining week at work and with Saturday looming and the pressure to make the most of it I could think of nothing better than a casual blogging session in the kitchen to calm the stresses from the week and allow my mind to wonder onto the creative and less challenging. The biggest decision in this recipe was how big to cut the chips!? I went for big naturally.

On reflection, this dish is essentially Mexican fish and chips!? And its for the chilli lovers as its a spicy one so make sure you have a nice cooling beer to hand or at least some soured cream. My inspiration for this one was the cheeky jar of Ottolenghi’s ‘Urfa chilli flakes’ (see here) I received as a gift. What the ‘urfa’ are those you might ask!? Well they are a Turkish medium heat chilli with a smoky flavour. A lovely deep and purposeful taste great for barbecued meats, oily fish, roasted vegetables or chilli con carne. I used them here to coat some moist and succulent salmon fillets. Accompanied with some spicy crisp polenta chips and some smashed green avocado I felt like I bought a bit of Mexico to London. Hopefully one day I can bring a bit of London to Mexico!?

Serves 2

2 salmon fillets
2 tsp urfa chilli flakes
1 large avocado
2 spring onions, finely chopped
Large bunch coriander, chopped
Large bunch basil, chopped
1/2 green chilli, finely chopped
Juice 1/2 – 1 lime
100g fast cook polenta
500ml chicken stock or water
1 heaped tsp chilli flakes
Knob butter
Salt and pepper
Sunflower oil

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Oil a bowl/small baking tray or something appropriate to hold your polenta in and allow it to set before cutting into chips.
Start with the polenta. Bring the stock or water to the boil in a saucepan. Mix the polenta, chilli flakes and some salt and pepper in a bowl. In a gentle stream add this polenta to the stock in the saucepan, whisking all the time and turn the heat down to a medium low instantly. Whisk continuously for about 5-7 minutes until the polenta thickens and bubbles. Add the butter and mix in well.
Pour the mixture into the oil lined tray spreading it out into an even layer of about 2inch thickness. Quickly chill by placing in the freezer for 5-10 minutes and then in the fridge and cooling completely until set.
Meanwhile mix the urfa chilli flakes and some salt and pepper with a tablespoon of oil. Rub this on the salmon fillets and leave to marinade at room temperature.
Next, cut the avocado into chunks and use a fork to mash into a chunky paste. Season and then add the spring onion, herbs, lime juice and combine into a chunky paste. Check the taste and add more lime if needed.
When the polenta has set, turn it out onto a chopping board dusted with lots of excess polenta. Chop the set polenta (which should be the texture of halloumi!?) into chip sized chunks and roll in the excess polenta.
Heat a frying pan on a medium high heat and fry the chips in a few tablespoons of sunflower oil until golden brown all over making sure they don’t stick to the pan or catch. Once crispy remove from the pan, scatter with flaky sea salt and set aside to keep warm.
In the same pan cook the salmon on a high heat skin side down for about 1 minutes to crisp the skin. Turn to char the flesh side for about another minute or so before placing in the oven skin side down to finish cooking for no more than 5 minutes to ensure it remains succulent and just pink.
To serve, top the chips with the salmon and spoon on a generous quenelle of avocado. Scatter with extra coriander and chilli flakes if you like

Have some beer or soured cream to hand…

Crispy Asian Beef

January 7, 2016 Comments Off read Meat

f you’re intending on sticking to or continuing to stick to a healthy diet this month after the indulgences of Christmas then I recommend Asian food as a good go to. It packs a reliant punch on flavour without compromising on health and nutrition. Not to mention that this is a really quick recipe and can be served out in about 20 minutes.

As a passionate cook and appreciator of food I have always been the type to savour my meals either for flavour or appreciation for the time and effort spent creating it – either by myself or more importantly a fellow cook. However, I can’t help but notice that many of us eat too fast. Not only does this encourage us to be unappreciative of the food, time and effort that has gone into making it but you cannot appreciate and savour the flavours. Sticking to the topic of nutrition and health this month, on a nutritional side the faster you eat the more chance you have of overeating. Eating slowly allows your stomach to register satiety at the right time. It also helps improve your digestion. Hand in hand with this I also recommend chewing your mouthfuls more to aid speed and digestion. Just putting down your fork (or chopsticks) after eat mouthful to enjoy, talk to your dinner friends and take your time is such a great habit to get into.

That said, a great way to get into this habit if using chopsticks! Not only is it fun and authentic but if you’re anything like me and still learning you can’t help but eat slowly…if at all. So obviously have a fork ready to hand to prevent starvation.

NOTE: Quite without meaning to I’ve created a gluten free meal using my stash of ‘Clearspring Gluten Free Brown Rice Noodles’. Asain food is a great go-to is your are gluten free. As I say, it packs a punch on flavour without compromising nutritional requirements.

Serves 2

250g beef mince
1 thumb size knob ginger, finely shredded
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1/2 red chilli (hotter the better here)
1 star anise
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1tsp fish sauce
Bunch coriander, chopped
Bunch basil, chopped
4 spring onions, chopped
100g ‘Clear Spring’ ‘Gluten free brown rice noodles’
1 tsp sesame oil
Juice 1 lime
Serve: I recommend a nice lime juice covered fresh crispy salad e.g. Cos lettuce, grated carrot, bean sprouts, cucumber etc

Submerge and soak the noodles in boiling water for at least 10 minutes. Set aside kept warm until ready to serve.
Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan or wok on a high heat. Add the beef mince and use a spatula to break up the pieces into chunks. then add the star anise. Fry on a high heat for about 5 minutes until the mixture begins to brown well and crisp up. Keep an eye on it moving the mince around continuously.
After about 5 minutes when well browned add in the ginger, garlic and red chilli and continue to fry on a high heat until the meat is really browned and crispy as below.
After about 5-10 minutes add the soy sauce, sesame oil and fish sauce and stir to combine. Cook until really dark and crispy to your liking.
Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped spring onions, coriander and basil
Drain the noodles and squeeze over the lime juice and add the sesame oil
Serve the noodles in warm bowls and top with your crispy beef piece and a lovely crunchy fresh salad.

Cajuan Salmon and Sweetcorn Puree

December 19, 2015 Comments Off read Seafood

k. I’ll admit this isn’t very festive…or wintery…or seasonal. Apologies. But frankly the unprecedented warm weather recently has sent us all into a state of confusion!? And following a few too many glasses of mulled wine after the annual village Christmas carol concert and a need for something fresh, filling and quick, Cajuan salmon seemed like the obvious choice…? Obvious right?

Serves 2

2 salmon fillets
1 tsp of smoked paprika and cayenne pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 can sweetcorn
1/2 lime, zest and juice
Pinch chilli flakes
30g butter
Bunch coriander, chopped
Mix of broccoli – purple sprouting and normal (enough for 2), chopped into florets
1 banana shallot, halved and finely sliced into half moons
1 tbsp flour
Sunflower oil for frying
Natural yoghurt to serve

Marinade the salmon in the dried spices, some seasoning and the olive oil and put in the fridge for about 20 minutes
Heat a good layer of sunflower oil in a frying pan until hot. Mix the flour and the chopped shallots in a bowl and season.
When the oil is hot add the shallots and fry, moving around with a fork, until deep golden and crisp. Tip into a bowl lined with kitchen roll and season. Set aside.
In the same pan, add another drop of oil and stir fry the broccoli gently until charred. Set aside to keep warm in a low oven.
Simmer the sweetcorn in the canned juices and enough water to cover for 3-4 minutes. Drain
Add to the bowl of a food processor while hot and add the butter, chilli, coriander, juice and zest of the lime and some seasoning. Puree until smooth and taste. Set aside to keep warm in a pan.
Finally, heat a splash of oil in your frying pan until hot. Fry the salmon, skin side down for about 5 minutes, turning halfway, depending on the thickness. Equally this would be excellent grilled on a grilled but mine was out of action!
When ready to serve, spoon a generous helping of sweetcorn puree onto a warmed plate. Top with the salmon. Mix the crispy onions with the warm broccoli and serve on the side and sprinkle with any extra coriander leaves.

Add some natural yoghurt if the what gets too much!

Spiced Bass, Bulgur Wheat Salad, Lime

December 17, 2015 Comments Off read Seafood

What started out as a loss of inspiration the other evening turned into a pretty delicious quick and tasty meal for my adoring sister and I for a casual and relaxing Friday night a few weeks ago. A breeze to knock up which was appreciated as we barely kept our eyes open after a long week and hard work. Tasty and nutritious with a beautiful girly scattering of rose petals. Sorry chaps, girls night in. After a few glasses of something crisp and aromatic (I recommend maybe a Gewürztraminer) I highly recommend topping this off with a helping of trashy Reeses peanut butter cups for pudding…A bit of an oxymoron to the meal but moderation in moderation.

Serves 2

80g bulghur wheat
Handful raisins
Juice 1/2 lemon
1 large bunch coriander, chopped
1 large onion, cut into half moons
1 tsp ground cumin
1 lime, zest and juice
200g yoghurt
2 seabass fillets
1 tbsp Ras El Hanout
Pinch rose petals (optional)

Start by cutting the fish fillets in half and season. Mix with a tablespoon of olive oil and the Ras El Hanout and massage this in. Set aside.
Slowly cook the onions now. Heat a splash of light oil in a frying pan and gently soften and fry the onion slices for about 10 minutes until just beginning to turn golden brown and crisp. Once soft and gold stir in the cumin and remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, cook the bulgur wheat by simmering in boiling water until just tender (about 5-8 minutes). Drain well and leave to dry a little. Season.
Stir the onions, raisins, the chopped coriander (save a handful for garnish) and mix to combine. Check the seasoning then add the juice of the lemon. Fork through to combine the flavours and set aside.
Mix the yoghurt with the juice of the lime and the majority of the zest (save a pinch for garnish). Season and set aside.
Now you’re ready to cook your fish. Heat a frying pan with a little oil until hot. Fry the fish, skin side down for about 2-3 minutes until crisp. Flip onto the flesh side for the final 30 seconds then remove from the heat.
To serve, spoon half the yoghurt mixture into the centre of a plate. Top with some of the bulgur wheat salad. Finally top with fish and garnish with some chopped coriander, lime zest and rose petals.

Asian Sea Bream and Raw Courgette Noodles

December 3, 2015 Comments Off read Seafood

very simple super this week. Thrown together in a matter of minutes…well about 20. A healthy way to kick of December before the turkey, chocolate and Christmas treats infiltrate the diet. Fresh flavours and your can barely call this cooking…

Serves 2

2 sea bream fillets
1 tbsp good quality, dark soy sauce
2 small courgettes
Handful salted peanuts
1/2 red chilli
Bunch chopped coriander
1 large lime
4 0z brown rice
1 tsp sesame oil

Simmer the rice for about 10-15 minutes until tender. Drain and drizzle with the sesame oil and keep warm
Use a julienne chopper to finely slice the courgette into noodle strips. Mix with the peanuts, coriander and chilli and season. Squeeze over the juice from the lime.
Heat a frying pan until hot. Season the fillets and fry, skin side down for about 2-3 minutes until the skin is really crispy.
Turn the fish to the flesh side for the final 30 seconds of cooking. Remove from the pan and pat of any excess oil with paper towel.
Serve the rice, courgette and fish, drizzled with a little soy sauce

Tofu, Mushroom and Seaweed Kale

September 8, 2015 Comments Off read Vegetables and Salads

vegan dish was a palatable challenge for me I’ll admit. In a world where butter dominates the foundations of my recipes like culinary cement; I was skeptical. No butter? You heard correctly…no butter? However, with a goodie bag of Japanese inspired ingredients from Clearspring, whose vast array of cultural delicacies regularly glare at me temptingly from their own region of the supermarket, I thought I’d experiment and I can safely say that butter wasn’t missed here!? With the divergence in diets and intolerances infiltrating our British habits in what is perhaps a foodie fad or otherwise, I thought I’d better jump on the diary and meat free band wagon and see if soya and tofu could satisfy my taste buds. With fish and vegetables dominating my diet already I was keen to see what the removal of dairy would have to offer. I enjoyed this meal twice this week which is surely enough said. One evening using nutty pearl barely and the other using some of Clearspring’s gluten free brown noodles. Both delicious and fresh.

Gluten, diary, meat and nut free I think this one deserves the intolerance crown.

Serves 2

1 box mushrooms (250g). Mixed such as shitake, oyster or chestnut
1 small handful dried mixed wild mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 15minutes then chopped roughly
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sunflower oil
80g pearl barely/80-100g brown rice noodles
200g kale
100g peas
4 spring onions, sliced
1 tbsp Clearspring seaweed flakes OR Welshman’s caviar
1 tbsp Soy sauce
Handful of coriander leaves, chopped
100g cubed tofu (optional)
1 tbsp black sesame seeds (optional)

Start by either soaking your noodles in hot water for 30 minutes covered or simmering your pearl barely for 25-30 minutes in hot water under tender. Drain well and drizzle with the sesame oil and keep warm.
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Gently soften the sliced spring onions for about 5-8 minutes until just beginning to brown and season. Once softened, place in a bowl and set aside keeping warm if you can. These will be combined with the cooked kale later.
Heat the same frying pan again until hot. Add the sunflower oil. Chop the mushrooms roughly into hearty chunks and gently fry for about 10-15 minutes with plenty of salt and pepper to cook and crisp up the mushrooms. They will release a little moisture so keep frying to evaporate this off and brown and crisp them up slightly.
Meanwhile, cook your kale in a pan of boiling water for 1-2 minutes. Add the peas and bring back to the boil. Once boiling remove from the heat and drain well allowing all the moisture to drain.
Tip back in the pan, add 1 tbsp soy sauce and the seaweed flakes. Add the reserved spring onions and mix. Place the lid back on a keep warm while you finish the mushrooms.
When the mushrooms are ready, crisp and delicious add the garlic and allow to cook for a few more minutes. Then turn up the heat and add the chopped rehydrated dried mushrooms, the noodles or pearl barely and fry for 1-2 minutes to reheat and combine the flavours.
Optional here, add some cubed tofu and heat through and scatter with the coriander.
Serve the mushrooms on top of the kale and garnish with black sesame seeds if you like