Fragrant Vegetables Recipes

Steps:

• Put the sugar and liquid glucose in a large saucepan and add 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) water. Whisk over a medium heat to dissolve the sugar, then increase the heat to high, stirring until the mixture starts to boil. Keep boiling until the temperature reaches 120°C (235°F).
• Add the remaining sauce ingredients, stir to combine, and leave it to simmer for 1 hour. At the end, you should have a glazy caramel-like consistency, which coats the back of a spoon. This sauce can be stored in a jar in the fridge for up to 2 months.
• Put the xanthan gum and 550 ml (19 fl oz) water into a bowl. Whizz with a hand-held blender until it has a thick, viscous consistency. Blend in the rice and tapioca flours, followed by the salt. The result should be a fairly goopy, but smooth batter.
• Fill a large wok or deep-fryer one-third full with oil and heat to 180°C (350°F) or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil turns golden in 15 seconds. Dip the pieces of eggplant into the batter then gently lower them into the oil one by one. Fry in batches for about 5 minutes per batch. Don't fiddle around with the eggplant too much in the first 2-3 minutes to allow the batter to firm properly. After about 3 minutes the exterior will harden and you can use a pair of tongs to separate any pieces that have stuck together in the oil. Continue cooking until the 5-minute mark. Drain on paper towels.
• Put the eggplant in a bowl and pour about 100 ml (3½ fl oz) of the fish fragrant sauce on top. Using a large spoon, give everything a stir to make sure each piece of eggplant is evenly coated. Add the cilantro sprigs and chiles and mix through. Divide between four to six bowls and top with the spring onions and fried shallots. Sprinkle with baby cilantro leaves and sesame seeds.

Steps:

• Rinse the rice in several changes of water to remove excess starch, then put in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, fry the onions in the oil for 8 mins until soft and starting to colour. Add the ginger, then cook for 2 mins more. Stir in the curry paste followed by the whole spices, cook for 1 min more, then tip in the potatoes and cauliflower. Pour in 300ml water, cover and boil for about 5-7 mins until the veg are just tender, but still have a little resistance. Stir in the yogurt and peas with 1 tsp salt.
• Mix the saffron, rosewater and 3 tbsp boiling water together and stir well. Drain the rice, tip into a pan of boiling salted water, then cook for 5 mins until almost tender. Drain again. Get out a large ovenproof dish with a lid and butter the base. Tip the curry sauce into the base, scatter over the nuts, then spoon over the rice. Drizzle over the rosewater mixture, then cover with foil followed by the lid. Can be chilled overnight until ready to cook.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the biryani in the oven for 45 mins-1 hr until thoroughly heated through. To check it's ready, try a spoonful from the centre of the rice. For the garnish, slowly fry the onions in the oil until really golden and crisp (this can be done in advance). When the biryani is hot and ready to serve, gently toss through the onions and coriander.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large soup pot over high heat. Add onion and salt and sauté until limp, 3 minutes. Add all spices and sauté until they release their fragrance, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and sauté another minute, until darkened but not burned. (If tomato paste looks too dark too quickly, lower heat.)
• Add celery, turnip and sweet potato and continue to sauté until celery starts to soften, about 10 minutes.
• Return heat to high if you lowered it, and add broth to pot. Bring to a simmer, then add chicken. Partially cover pot, lower heat to medium low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add chickpeas and cilantro to pot and continue simmering until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes longer. Stir in the lemon juice and more salt if desired, and serve garnished with cilantro and lemon wedges.

Steps:

• In a deep saucepan, heat garlic in oil until fragrant; add broth, soy sauce, fish sauce, cabbage, carrots, celery, mushrooms, lemongrass, and chilies.
• Bring mixture to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
• Adjust seasonings for soy sauce, and fish sauce; then add lime juice and basil; serve.
• Note: As an option you may also add cooked chicken, cooked beef or pork, or raw shrimp to this soup at the end of cooking; for shrimp, just allow enough time for them to turn opaque and curl tight; for meat, just heat through.

Steps:

• Heat a wok or frying pan over a low heat and lay the duck breasts in the pan skin-side down. Reduce the heat to low and sizzle gently for 10-15 mins until the skin is golden and the fat has rendered into the pan. Remove the breasts to a plate and leave to cool.
• With the pan still on a low heat, scatter the sugar over the leftover duck fat and stir in the curry paste and fish sauce. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 mins until fragrant, then add the aubergine and potatoes, and stir to coat. Let the veg absorb some of the paste for a few minutes, then pour over the coconut milk and half a can of water, add the lime leaves (if using) and bring to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, finely slice the duck breasts. Stir the meat and resting juices into the curry and simmer for 40 mins, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are just cooked and the duck is tender. Stir in the green beans and simmer for 10 mins more until the beans are cooked. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lime juice, taste and add more lime, sugar or fish sauce if needed. Scatter over the chillies, coriander and peanuts. Serve with cooked rice.

Steps:

• Cook fava beans in a large pot of generously salted boiling water until pale green and tender and skins look swollen, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beans to a large bowl of ice water. Let cool completely, about 2 minutes. Remove from ice bath with slotted spoon and peel outer layer from fava beans; set aside.
• Combine asparagus, edamame, and green beans in the same pot of boiling water and cook until bright green and slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to ice bath and let sit until cold, about 10 minutes.
• Using a vegetable peeler, remove zest from lemons, leaving as much white pith behind as possible. Cut lemons in half and squeeze juice though your hand or fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Remove peel from orange with peeler; set fruit aside for another use (or eat!)
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium until shimmering, about 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Add garlic and let sizzle until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in lemon and orange zest, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, salt, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Drain vegetables, discarding any remaining ice cubes, and add to infused room-temperature oil along with lemon juice; stir to combine. Transfer vegetables and oil to a 1½-qt. glass jar; cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving. Do ahead: Vegetables can be marinated up to 6 days ahead. Keep chilled.