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Twenty years ago I started my rocky relationship with dough. For some reason I like to do things the hard way. Never having produced a loaf in my life, I embarked on mastering sourdough bread and making my own natural yeast starter. With my digital thermometer, proofing baskets and imported strong Canadian flour, I was practically ready to start my own bakery. Sadly, my result was a bucket of murky black slop that made my flat smell like a brewery. Deflated but tenacious, I BOUGHT yeast and tried again. My rocky loaves were more akin to weapons than a sandwich ingredient. The light bulb finally came on after attending on an intensive course at Andrew Whiteley’s ‘Bread matters’ school in Cumbria. We spent three days making dough and breads of all types. Before our bread was baked in his enormous wood-burning oven, Andrew made us identify our bread with paper tags. Later we would ascertain which of the sad little cow patties were ours. It was humbling yet empowering way to learn. My Einstein moment was this:

soft light sticky dough = airy bubbly bread
heavy dry dough = solid heavy loaves
long rise=more air bubbles and taste

The key is to not get hung on measuring stuff, just add enough flour to the dough so that you can mix or knead it together. After mixing into a ball, oil your hands to work with it. Even if its sticky, try to preservere so the you don’t add too much flour.

Pizza, of course, was the next inevitable step in my dough mastery. Ever since I read the NY Times ‘no knead’ pizza recipe I have been infatuated with finding the best method. There are millions of different pizza dough recipes but it doesn’t go far off, yeast, water, flour, salt and olive oil. The flour you use can produce an entirely different result. Strong bread or plain flour makes a heavier dough and ’00′ (finely milled Italian flour) results in something softer. If you like ultra-thin crisp pizza, then mixing olive oil into the dough will impart that brittle texture. Personally, I like the Napoli-style; bubbly soft with a crisp crust, not too-thin and not too-thick. The ‘no knead’ pizza recipe was too liquid to work with but it did lead me down another road- letting dough rise in the refrigerator. No one has time to make dough after work and then let it rise, so this was pure genius to me. I knead the dough first and use ’00′ flour with salt, and a tiny amount of dry yeast mixed with warm water. My Kitchen Aid mixer does the work (food processors will also work with a dough hook) and then I whack it in the fridge. When I want to use it over three days, I take out the portion I want, let it come to room temperature and then make pizzas. Any oven can be used but using a pizza stone gets crisper results. Here is the recipe with my favorite toppings:

Refrigerator dough pizza
preparation time 30 minutes
cooking time 5 minutes
makes 4 pizzas

dough
500g/1 lb 2 oz ’00′ flour, plus extra for finishing dough
400ml/1 3/4 cups warm water
1/4 teaspoon dried active yeast (not fast acting)
1 teaspoon salt
olive oil for greasing hands, dough and bowl

In a large mixing bowl or bowl of an electric standing mixer, place the flour and salt. Fill a measuring jug with the warm water. It should be ‘hand hot,’ so that it’s not too hot to put your finger in but also not too luke-warm. Add the yeast, mix and wait about 5 minutes or so for little chunks to float up to the top. This is important because it means the yeast is working. Sometimes instant yeast can go off and its infuriating to discover later. Always be sure and test it. Fit the dough hook attachment to your standing mixer. Turn the motor on and slowly pour in the liquid. If it doesn’t come together as a ball, then pour in a quarter cup more of flour. It should pull away completely at the bottom and whirl around in a ball. If it doesn’t slowly add a little flour at a time until it does. Let it knead for 5-7 minutes and then oil your hands with oil to take out. Oil a medium bowl to hold the dough and also place more all over it. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you want to use it take out the portion you want and let it double in size at room temperature. It should still be covered with plastic wrap and the surface of the dough should be oiled. The temperature of your kitchen will determine how quickly it rises. During the summer it may only take a couple of hours but the winter may take 4-5. If you have a cold drafty kitchen then turn on the oven for 1 minute, turn off and then place the bowl inside to rise.

Test the yeast first to see if it’s active. Little bits will float to the top. Here is the dough after kneading and finally after its risen to room temperature and doubled in size.

Pizza with Italian sausage, pickled peppers, and sweet onions
makes 4 pizzas

1 recipe refrigerator dough doubled in size and at room temperature
semolina flour or polenta for dusting

sauce
2 X 400ml tins whole peeled plum tomatoes
3 cloves garlic finely sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste (concentrate)
2 teaspoons dried oregano

toppings
500g/1 lb 2oz Italian or other pork sausages
16 peppadew, or sweet pickled cherry peppers sliced
4 handfuls of grated mozzarella and asiago cheese or whatever you have
2 sweet white or red onions thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves

Turn your oven on to the highest temperature it will go. If you have a pizza stone place it at the bottom of your oven. While its heating make your sauce. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the garlic and saute until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and break up a bit with a spoon. Sprinkle in the dried oregano and a teaspoon of salt as well. Simmer on medium high heat until all the liquid has gone, about 10 minutes. Scrape into a bowl and refrigerate until using. (It works best to make pizzas with cold sauce). Remove the sausage from the casings and pan-fry in a non-stick frying pan with a tiny bit of oil. When its browned a bit, remove from heat.

Divide the dough into four pieces. Roll out one using a floured surface and rolling pin. Spread a teaspoon or so of the semolina on the pizza peel or you can use a thin baking sheet. Place the dough on top and make sure it can move around. Spread a thin layer of the sauce on, a handful of cheese, some sausage, a small handful of peppers, onions and then finish with a sprinkle of oregano. Slide this onto the pizza stone and cook for 4-5 minutes until crisp on bottom. You can make all four pizzas in two average-sized cookie pans by using half the dough in each. Place a little semolina on the base and roll out the dough to fit both. Add your toppings and then cook for 10 minutes on the middle rack of your oven.

Pizza assembled before baking.

Here is another combination I tried: grated mozzarella and manchego cheese, spinach, chorizo, red onion and a little feta.

Last year, after purchasing my rice maker, I swore I wouldn’t buy any more kitchen appliances. That promise was short-lived. After my recent sojourn to Garson’s Farm (see corn post) and acquisition of five buckets of raspberries, I wanted to (or more like HAD TO) make sorbet. (I didn’t have the jars to make jam, so it was the only solution) My Magimix ice-cream maker only accommodates one litre and I had double that amount of mixture. In the end I made half sorbet and the rest granita. Icy treats do require a fair amount of effort and forward thinking and one litre just doesn’t seem worth it. My husband and two sons can polish off a container of ice-cream quicker than you can say ‘Haagen Dazs.’ If you can make two litres at once, it makes it a bit more worthy. I decided to scan Amazon and see what was out there. The Kitchen Aid ice-cream attachment caught my eye because I already have the mixer. A double batch just about squeezes in and you can make your frosty endeavors last at least two evenings.

This recipe is adapted from the book ‘Iced’ from Murdoch books. Made with a proper custard base, it has all the density of quality ice-cream and lashings of milk chocolate and crisp pecans.

Iced-180 very cool concoctions

milk chocolate and pecan ice-cream
preparation time 40 minutes
makes 1 litre/4 cups

250ml/1 cup milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways and seeds scraped
500ml/2 cups double or whipping cream
115g/half cup castor sugar
200g/1 1/2 cups grated quality milk chocolate
4 egg yolks
50g/1/2 cup pecans chopped

Put the milk, vanilla bean and scraped seeds into a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the cream, milk, sugar and vanilla bean with scraped seeds and heat until nearly boiled. Remove from heat.

Whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl until well combined. Pour in a half cup of the hot cream mixture and whisk. This will warm the eggs up so it doesn’t curdle when pouring in the rest. Whisk in the remaining cream mixture and then return to a clean saucepan. Stir over low-medium heat constantly for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow to boil. Set aside to cool slightly, then pour into a covered container and refrigerate until cold. (I usually leave it until the next day)

At this point you can pour the mixture into an ice-cream machine. Its a good idea to start the motor running and then scrap the mixture in. It will take about 10-15 minutes to thicken. Add the pecans at the end of churning. Alternatively, you can do it without an ice-cream maker by pouring it into a shallow metal baking dish and freezing. Whisk it every couple of hours until it frozen and creamy. When close, add the pecans in.

Start with fabulous ingredients!

The milk, cream, sugar and vanilla pod are heated until nearly boiling.

The chocolate is chopped to melt in the cream mixture.

After the chocolate is melted, the mixture is whisked into the eggs, poured back in the saucepan and heated until thick.

The thick custard is chilled overnight and is ready for the ice-cream machine.

My new Kitchen Aid ice-cream machine attachment churning the mixture.

Since I made a double batch, it’s nearly overflowing, but works. The nuts are added after its churned and then frozen.

Last Saturday I had a crushing hangover, and it was nearly a grade five (I categorize them 1-5, with five being the most evil). It’s the sort where even if you go running, take aspirin all day, eat donuts and drink ten glasses of water- nothing is going to help you feel better. In the evening, when you start to feel a little more human, some foods can bring you relief. Curries, with their sweat-inducing character, are top of the list. I chose to make a proper home-made job and whizz up my own paste. Last year I developed a recipe for ‘meals in heels’ cookbook that involved making a fresh curry paste. It doesn’t require soaking dried chilis, hard-find-ingredients or foul-smelling shrimp paste. The curry is a very simple puree of fresh red chili, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, coriander stalks and a little curry powder. It’s ridiculously simple to prepare, practically no chopping and there isn’t any ingredient you couldn’t pick up at the supermarket. Yes, you could just use ready-made red curry paste, but it doesn’t touch the freshness of this. I had some fat prawns in my freezer from Whole foods (their seafood is incredibly reasonable) that worked beautifully in the sauce, but you could use chicken, pork or beef as a substitute. After washing it down with a tall icy gin and tonic, I started to feel better and the world felt like a better place.

chiang mai prawn jungle curry
preparation time 25 minutes
cooking time 25 minutes
serves 6

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons grated light palm or soft brown sugar
100 g (31/2 oz) tamarind purée (I use Bart’s)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
zest and juice of 2 limes
2 X 400ml tins coconut milk
900 g (2 lb) large green (raw) peeled prawns with tails intact
toasted coconut shavings for garnish

jungle curry paste
2 long red chillies, seeded and chopped
3 cm (1 1/4 inch) knob of ginger, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves
6 lemongrass stalks, lower inner third finely chopped
1 tablespoon curry powder
big bunch (20g) coriander (cilantro), leaves picked and stems roughly chopped

To make the jungle curry paste, place the ingredients, and coriander stems (save leaves for garnish), in a blender (this will grind the paste finer than a food processor as it has 4 blades instead of a 2) and blend until a smooth purée forms.

Heat the oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the curry paste and stir for 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add the sugar and tamarind and stir until the sugar has melted. Then pour in the fish sauce, lime zest and juice and coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes or until slightly thickened Add the prawns and cook for 2–3 minutes or until the prawns turn opaque. Serve over rice and scatter over the toasted coconut, coriander leaves to serve.

The raw ingredients

Stir-frying the fresh curry paste

The sugar and tamarind melt into the paste

tinned coconut milk is added

I kind of feel sick right now because I’ve just eaten 6 leftover corn cakes for lunch. Don’t get me wrong, they were delicious but I could not stop eating them. Yesterday was my children’s last day of freedom before school starts  and we decided to have a day out at Garsons, which is a pick-your-own farm in Esher. www.garson.co.uk The sun was shining and after collecting five containers of raspberries we discovered the corn.  We cracked them right off the tall stalks and took them home to shuck. The problem with going to these places is that you get over-excited and pick too much. By the time I got home, I had now gone off the idea of making raspberry jam and had 23 ears of corn to deal with. Luckily we had an epiphany and spontaneously produced a gigantic batch of corn cakes. The kernels were sawed off with a knife, blanched, tossed into a chili and spring onion batter and pan-fried up. Our serendipitous foray into the corn field paid off as we all sat down to an al fresco lunch and gorged on our end-of-summer meal.

For years I have been dabbling with corn cake recipes . My friend Victoria Blashford-Snell and I wrote a book called ‘Diva Cooking’ about 10 years ago and used it as a canape. I’ve deep-fried them as a Thai rendition (Small bites) and more recently in ‘Meals in heals,’ I simplified them completely using self-raising flour, eggs a milk.  If you don’t use fresh corn, tinned is still very good so they can be made year round.  This particular recipe uses an avocado, tomato and basil salsa but you can and should do some of the following:

Home-made sweet chili dipping sauce (Prawn cake recipe for details), diced cucumber and fresh coriander
Tomatoes, mozzarella, rocket, red onion and balsamic dressing
a base for any fish or steak and sauce of your choosing
Mexican style with avocados, tomatoes, chipotle tabasco, and creme fraiche

corn cakes with chilli and spring onion
preparation time 10 minutes
cooking time 15 minutes
makes 12

NOTE: You can use fresh, frozen or drained tinned corn. If using fresh corn, slice the kernels off the cob and blanch in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse in cold water. You’ll need about 4–5 ears of corn for 400 g kernels.

400 g/14 oz/2 cups corn kernels
120 g/1 cup self-raising (self-rising) flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
5 tbsp milk
4 spring onions (shallots), finely chopped
1/2 long red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
60 ml/1/4 cup vegetable oil (for frying)

salsa
1 avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
10 cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
half small red onion diced
juice of half lemon
small handful basil leaves ripped

Place the corn, flour, egg, spring onion, chilli, coriander and milk in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix well. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook scant ¼ cupfuls of mixture, in batches, for 2–3 minutes each side or until crisp. Place on a baking tray lined with kitchen paper and keep warm in the oven or serve them at room temperature. Mix the salsa ingredients together and season. Serve with the cakes.

As the sunny weather dwindles in England there is still something to be cheerful about-ripe, late summer vegetables. Gazpacho is one the best ways to reap their tasty goodness. Its bracing icy texture and sharp garlic tomato flavour are pure refreshment. For the last couple of weeks my family and I were in Antibes, in France’s sunny Cote d’Azur. The beautiful seaside beaches and lovely towns are straight out of a movie set, but I can’t say the same for the food. You need to fork over big cash to get the good stuff. Even the local market made the London Borough market look like a bargain. We struggled to find good food that wasn’t overpriced but did come across a little gem cafe run by three Danish women, called Copenhagen. They made a gazpacho which featured a salsa of granny smith apples. The crisp tart fruit in the velvety smooth vegetables was pure genius. Although it’s Spanish by heritage, this quintessential cold soup is served all over the Mediterranean. Over the years I have created different versions for magazines and a previous cookbook, Small Bites. Anything from beetroot (fantastic colour and taste), ancho chili puree, chopped boiled egg, croutons or crabmeat can be used to top off or swirled through. One basic stays the same though-RIPE vegetables.

Gazpacho with granny apple salsa
prep time 10 minutes
serves 6

500g or approx. 6 juicy ripe tomatoes
half a large cucumber or 2 small Lebanese
1 medium sweet white or red onion
1 pepper (yellow or red)
1 handful of white crusty bread
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
400ml/1 and 3/4 cup chilled vegetable or chicken stock
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika)
1 granny smith apple

Roughly chop the vegetables, except the apple, discarding the cores and cucumber peeling. Save a small amount to dice up for the salsa. Mix the vegetables with the vinegar, oil, salt, paprika, bread and stock. Puree in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Core and finely dice the apple. Mix with the reserved diced veg and set aside. At this point you can chill the soup for 3 hours or pour immediately over cups of ice. Sprinkle the diced vegetables over and drizzle with a bit of extra virgin olive oil.

I was visually overcome yesterday in Whole Foods Kensington by a striking tower of strawberries. Boxes of sweet, dark red fruit with long green stems were stacked high and (even better) on sale- 2 for £5. Yes, I know you can get them cheaper in other stores but these smelled and looked liked real strawberries in season. The sad little under-ripe pink ones you see in the supermarket just depress me. Even if they look good, the taste is vacant. I don’t shop often at Whole Foods, but when I do, it’s an all-out pilgrimage. Watch this space because I’m going to do a whole posting on it soon. Its a complete inspiration to go there and the free tastings don’t hurt either. Whatever you buy, you know your precious items are going to taste lovely.

Since I was having friends to dinner in the evening, I thought I would make the strawberry cream cake from my ‘Meals in Heels’ book. It feeds 8-10 people, which is perfect if there are lots of kids about. Instead of two 8 inch cake tins, the batter is poured into a 9 inch spring-form to make a big cake. Sponge cake looks difficult but its really not. The most important thing is too work quickly and lightly when folding in the flour mixture so it doesn’t deflate. When good strawberries are about there is no better combination than whipped cream and sponge. Nothing else is required.

strawberries and cream sponge cake
preparation time 30 minutes
cooking time 30 minutes
serves 8-10

unsalted butter, softened, for greasing

150 g/1 cup) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting

6 eggs, at room temperature and separated

175 g/3/4 cup caster (superfine) sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 litre/4 cups thick cream (48% butterfat)

500 g strawberries, hulled (half sliced and rest left whole)

Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF/Gas 4). Line the base of a 23 cm (9 inch) springform cake tin with baking paper. Lightly grease the sides with butter and dust with flour. Place the egg yolks, vanilla and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt using a hand-held electric mixer for 5 minutes or until soft peaks form. Add to the egg yolk mixture. Gently fold in Add the flour and baking powder, in 3 batches, and fold through after each addition with a large metal spoon. Pour into the tin and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer withdraws clean. Cool completely in the tin.

Cut the cake horizontally into 3 layers with a serrated knife. Whisk the cream until soft peaks form. Place the cake base on a cake stand or serving platter. Spread over one-quarter of the cream and then place a layer of strawberries. Repeat with remaining cake layers finishing with a layer of cream. Use a palette knife to spread on the sides and decorate with whole strawberries arranged upside down. If its a hot day or 8 hours before, keep the cake refrigerated. Otherwise you can make it 3 hours ahead and leave on the counter.

My beautiful strawberries from Whole Foods.

The sugar, eggs and vanilla are whipped in an electric mixer.

The whipped egg whites and sugar egg yolk mixtures are folded together with a large metal spoon.

The dry ingredients are folded through in three batches. This needs to be done with a light hand and quickly so the mixture doesn’t lose its air.

The batter is poured into a greased, floured tin lined with baking paper.

Once its done, it will pull away from the sides. Let cool in the tin.

Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into three layers.

The softly whipped cream is spread on each layer and topped with sliced strawberries. I trimmed the uneven edges with a serrated knife to make frosting the sides easier.

The sides and top are frosted before placing the whole strawberries on top. Slide pieces of non-stick baking paper under all the sides before you do so that your cake stand stays clean. Gently slip them out when you’re finished.

Growing up, Sunday evenings were our family’s designated night for dessert. Apple pies, fruit cobblers and all sorts were produced but the one I really treasured and dreamed about all week was the banana splits. Scoops of ice-cream, thick hot fudge sauce, chopped nuts, whipped cream and a maraschino cherry were sinfully devoured fast-as-lightning so the ice-cream didn’t melt.

The chocolate sauce was from a jar, the Smuckers brand to be exact. You could scoop it out like peanut butter it was so thick, but once heated it rolled perfectly down the balls of ice-cream. I’m sure it was packed with fake ingredients and god even knows whether it even included real chocolate. A couple of years ago I was writing a book on American Diner food and wanted to create a recipe for it. I found the secret to the fudge-i-ness was to pour a little corn syrup or golden syrup into the chocolate, butter, cream mixture. It prevents it going solid and imparts a little toffee flavour. Don’t go mad buying expensive chocolate, the very high-grade ones often go grainy when melting so just average 70% cocoa plain chocolate is fine. My favorite is the Swiss brand, Menier. This makes loads (2 cups) and keeps for ages in the fridge, so just reheat it when you want a sugar hit.

So the recipe below is a little more grown-up without the bananas and whipped cream, but you can add them back if you like. (I took them out because my sons hate bananas and the cream is just fat overload) Brownies are also stunning as a base, so if you are a total chocolate-meister- go for it. The melting problem is now sorted too; scoop the ice-cream into large balls and freeze a couple of hours before making. Now you can take your time once the warm sauce is poured and savour every bite.

Ice-cream sundaes with chocolate fudge sauce
prep time 15 minutes
makes 2 cups

100g/4oz plain chocolate chopped
2 tbsp butter
175ml/3/4 cup double cream
100g/1/2 cup castor sugar
75ml/1/4 cup golden syrup or light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

4 fresh cherries
4 tbsp toasted chopped pecans
8 big scoops ice-cream (pre-scooped and frozen if possible)

Make the chocolate sauce by placing the chocolate, cream and butter in a glass bowl set over a medium saucepan filled with 1 inch of simmering water. Whisk it until it melts and then add the golden syrup, vanilla and the sugar. Continue whisking and when nearly boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Set to cool for 5 minutes before using.

Scoop the ice-cream into 4 bowls or glasses. Dollop each with a big spoonful of the hot fudge sauce, some chopped nuts and a cherry to top.

The only thought that comes to mind when you bite into these Vietnamese crystal spring rolls is utter refreshment. No deep fat fryers are required, but I won’t lie and tell you that they are a doddle. A deft hand is needed for rice paper wrappers, which can be slippery nightmares. But even when less-than-perfect looking, they still taste amazing. Nigella Lawson demonstrated them on her Forever Summer program and I can’t say they were very beautiful. If hers aren’t, then you’re certainly allowed a few wonky ones. I have been making them for years and the trick is not to hurry and keep them skinny. Too much filling makes them rip and then you can start to get edgy. Get everything chopped, ready and then get a feel for the technique.

Most fresh rolls contain cooked rice noodles, prawns, chicken or beef and other vegetables like carrot, daikon (white radish) or red onion. Fresh herbs of mint, coriander and basil are always included and give them a burst of freshness. When I was in Hoi An, Vietnam recently, many of the restaurants served these with pork or beef and mango. I had never tasted fruit in them before, but loved it and decided to give it a go when I got home. Its perfect for hot and humid weather when lighter food suits. If we have a scorching hot British summer (don’t hold your breath), this is just the ticket.

Fresh beef, mango and mint spring rolls
makes 16 rolls

250g seared and cooked beef fillet (medium rare is good) thinly sliced
1 large mango cut into half inch long pieces
2 shallots thinly sliced
large handful each of coriander, mint and fresh basil leaves
1 bunch chives
12 circular rice paper wrappers (6 inch in diameter)

Dipping sauce (Nuoc cham)
2 tbsp fish sauce
4 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp water
1 chili sliced
1 clove garlic finely chopped

Mix the dipping sauce ingredients together and pour into a couple of small bowls. (you can also serve with sweet chili dipping sauce if like) Place the beef mango, shallot, mint, coriander, and chives in separate piles on a tray.

Place large tea towel on working surface. Pour hot water in a bowl. Drop one rice paper wrapper at a time into hot water for about 30 seconds.

When soft and pliable, place the wrapper on tea towel and wipe off the excess water with another towel. Throw away any wrappers that rip and start again with a fresh one. It may take a few to get the knack, so don’t get discouraged. If the wrapper is too soft, it will fall apart, and if it’s too hard, it will not stick together. Practice a few so you can get a feel for the right consistancy.

Place a small pile of beef, mango, noodles, shallot, basil, mint, coriander at the lower bottom of the wrapper. Fold the lower bottom in and then the sides. Before you finish rolling it up all the way, place a chive in and then roll into a tight roll. Place seam side down on a tray.

When ready to serve, cut each spring roll in half diagonally with a very sharp knife or leave whole. Pour dipping sauce into a small bowl and serve on the side.
NOTE: If you want to make these 8 hours in advance; store on a tray lined with baking paper, cover with more baking paper and then seal with plastic wrap. Keep refrigerated until serving.

The first sound I heard when we arrived at our hotel in the old quarter of Hanoi, was a rooster crowing across the street. Clearly, fresh food was close by. The sun-kissed ingredients of Vietnam were tasty indeed and the chicken and pork tasted like the old days, before battery farming drummed out all the fun. Little food stalls with mini stools (best suited for people under 4 feet tall) line the streets everywhere, each with their specialty: pho, fried spring rolls, bun cha (noodles with pork) or banh mi (grilled pork sandwiches). Pho, the National dish of Vietnam, is noodle soup with beef, chicken or pork and garnished with chilis, herbs and fish sauce. Its eaten primarily for breakfast but you see people slurping it up all day. Your stomach will be full for about an hour and then you need to eat again. Hence all the abundance of street food. One of my older posts has a recipe for chicken if you fancy making some. (see tab for recipes)

Fruit is practically super-sonic there. Menus have laundry lists of choices; watermelon, lychee, mango, pineapple and all sorts. Curries and spring rolls also incorporate it, making the sweet/sour tastes come alive. We simply did not have a bad meal, not one gripe to speak of. As we moved from Hanoi to Hoi An, a city further South, it just kept getting better. The best bit was that it was cheap as chips. Even at a sit-down restaurant you weren’t set back more £15.00

The lack of bad smells really surprised me. That whiff of fermenting fish that pervades most Asian markets was non-existent. It’s surprisingly clean for such a gritty urban city. If you had to choose a downside to Hanoi it would be the millions of motorbikes that swarm through the streets like a pack of bumblebees. You need a neck like an owl to spot which direction they are zooming from. Little grannies wander into thunderous intersections, whilst balancing heavy goods on shoulder poles, without even a glance. Miraculously, the bikes swerve around them as if some guardian angel was hovering over them. One little granny was walking with boiling oil on one of her two balanced trays, frying tofu. Safety shmafty!

So over the next couple of posts I want to share a few of the dishes I experienced. This prawn cake recipe is typical of the street food eaten there. When the prawns are roughly pureed in the food processor, the sticky flesh bonds together so there is no need for egg. The sweet chili dipping sauce that accompanies it can be used for all sorts. Grilled salmon, chicken or anything fried is divine with it and it keeps in the fridge for ages.

prawn cakes with sticky chili sauce
Makes 8 cakes, serves 4 as a starter

500g raw peeled prawns, 400g
3 shallots, thinly sliced
3cm chucnk ginger
1 lime, zested
1 handful coriander chopped
half red chili, thumb sized seeded and diced
1 tbsp fish sauce

250ml rice vinegar
175g castor sugar
1 red chili sliced

In a small saucepan, boil the sugar and vinegar with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes until syrupy. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Place the ginger, coriander, 2 of the shallots, and half the chili in the food processor and blend until fine. Add the prawns, lime rind, and fish sauce and pulse until chunky. Grind plenty of black pepper over. Form into 8 flat cakes. Preheat oven grill. Brush both sides of the cakes with a tiny bit of vegetable oil and place on a baking tray fitted with a rack. Cook for 2 minutes one side and turn over. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until opaque. Add the chili and remaining shallot to the vinegar syrup and mix. Serve the warm cakes with the sauce.

photo Maja Smend, food styling Jennifer Joyce