List of All Articles with Tag 'drink'

With summer finally deciding to make an appearance in the UK, there’s no better time to book a reservation or two at your favourite restaurants with outside space in London. There’s nothing better than getting some of that much-needed vitamin D as you tuck into a delicious meal and whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch, dinner with friends or your date is going al fresco, there are plenty of options to choose from. While some pubs and restaurants have permanent outdoor seating areas, others actively create their own in the summer so that its patrons can enjoy a delicious meal al fresco as soon as the sun decides to come out. From pub gardens to rooftop terraces, there’s a number of spaces to soak up the sunshine with your favourite dish and a glass of something refreshing – and we’re here to help you find all the best places in the city to do just that. London is a foodie capital and at times dining options can be overwhelming. If you’re in need of some guidance for your next al fresco booking, look no further than our list below. Joia We’ll never say no to a new Portuguese restaurant opening up in London and new spot Joia does seem to be drawing in all the crowds. While its rooftop (complete with that swimming pool) has certainly nailed the Instagram aesthetic on the head, we can’t credit Joia’s success solely to this, having dined on its delectable menu ourselves. An excellent pan con tomate set the meal off to a great start (it can really go the other way, you see), followed by the classic Iberico ham croquettes – once again, it’s like a rite of passage with this type of cuisine. The classic tortilla secured a solid spot in our good books, while the grilled leeks and beef pica pau (a highly popular Portuguese snack dish) were also crowd-pleasers. The salted cod worked a charm. We loved the Josper-grilled prawns and recommend you definitely leave space for the arroz con leche (in this case, passionfruit cream rice pudding). joiabattersea.co.uk Luca Stepping into the terrace at Luca is like stepping straight foot in Italy. With exposed brick walls, plenty of shrubbery and a retractable roof, the one-Michelin-starred spot is the perfect way to while away the hours in true al fresco style. Enjoy everything the restaurant has to offer in this secluded oasis, from the must-get parmesan fries (cheese lovers will want several portions of these gooey churros) to the pasta made fresh every day in The Pasta Room (shouldn’t everyone have one of those?). During the summer, seasonal delights include Orkney scallops, Cornish lobster and Hebridean lamb. Wash that down with a house cocktail such as the Luca Martini or the Gold Negroni, or consult with head sommelier Enzo for something from their excellent wine list - the bone-dry Soave Classico Calvarino Pieropan gets our vote. luca.restaurant Florattica A newcomer to the terrace scene in London, Florattica sits above the Canopy by Hilton in East London. A hidden gem if you’re looking for understated luxury, the decor is full of floral designs and bold colours – accompanied by equally strong cocktails. Come rain or shine this little oasis is a great hideaway from the busy city, with both indoor and outdoor seating, where you can enjoy a variety of premium drinks from the bar and sharing snacks. The sourdough flatbread with whipped feta, peppers and rosemary jam was a particular standout, but there’s also oysters, a selection of sushi, teriyaki chicken skewers and more. floratticalondon.co.uk Sabine If you’re looking to soak up a great summer vibe alongside sipping signature cocktails, Sabine is the place for you. Offering a stunning view of St Paul’s Cathedral, as well as gorgeous sunset scenes and the Shard on the other side, Sabine is a great terrace for kicking back after a long day at work. With Sabina Coladas and dangerously good daiquiris on the menu (among other favourites, of course), it was only too easy to sit back, sip and snack on delicious bar bites such as pulled lamb or barbecue jackfruit tacos; tandoori prawn skewers; mac n cheese bon bons and much more. sabinelondon.co.uk Outcrop X AngloThai You have just over a month to catch the excellent collaboration between Outcrop and AngloThai at 180 The Strand – and it’s one that should not be missed. The leafy courtyard at the heart of London’s West end offers John Chantarasak’s signature (and spicy) Thai-British food, featuring oysters dressed in sea buckthorn and fermented chilli, curried flatbreads, zephyr squash tempura, som tam salad, vine leaf-wrapped hake, and much more. Wines are of the low-intervention, natural, barrelled variety and the cocktails pack a punch. Dine in dappled sunlight under the canopy to bops from DJs, selectors and collectors, then venture inside to take in the immersive art installation. No spoilers here. It’s worth seeing for yourself. outcrop.social Maene From oysters with pickled cucumber and sorrel to whipped ricotta, pickled beetroot, lemon thyme, there are plenty of delicious dishes to enjoy alongside a cocktail or two, while basking in the (occasional spot of) sun that graces this city. Other items from the menu that caught our eye include the Cornish mussels in smoked cider and butter sauce and we’d never say no to almond ice cream with poached rhubarb and black pepper sable. We can confirm the cocktails went down a treat but now it seems you’ll see us back for dinner, too. maenerestaurant.co.uk Kapara The little sister of Israeli eater Bala Baya, Kapara is the latest offering from chef Eran Tibi who has brought a taste of Tel Aviv to the streets of Soho. In addition to a variety of cocktails to be enjoyed on the terrace, we’d also recommend you not leave before trying the baklava prawns – one of our top favourite dishes in London – as well as the likes of the romano carpaccio, braised aubergine and tomato hummus and oxtail in pearls. kapara.co.uk Jurema at The Mandrake Simultaneously sultry and seasonal, Jurema at the Mandrake stays true to the hotel’s moody on-trend decor, while also making bringing a spot of summer to the terrace – courtesy of a hanging garden of suspended jasmine and passionflower. A main feature throughout the hotel (with all floors looking out onto it), it’s a great space to enjoy a drink (should you be tempted away from Waeska downstairs). Food-wise, it’s all from Yopo below so we knew it would be great and the terrace also offers a beautiful Sunday brunch where you can tailor your experience from free-flowing cocktails to unlimited Veuve Cliquot, alongside crab tostadas, wild mushroom buckwheat crepes and chorizo eggs benedict dishes. Coupled with a DJ and tarot reading, you’ll find yourself checking into a room (should there be availability) afterwards, never wanting to leave. themandrake.com Hotel AMANO Hotel AMANO is another secret terrace in the heart of central London – and it comes with a beautiful view of the city. Sip on chamapgne or choose one of the cocktails expertly created by the bar staff at the rooftop bar. The seventh floor is a true highlight of the London hotel. With dishes making their way up from the kitchen at Penelope’s (the hotel’s Israeli-Spanish restaurant downstairs), we’d say bar snacks have certainly stepped up in the form of salmon tiradito, black challah calamari (possibly our favourite in London), pan con tomate and much more. amanogroup.de The Landmark It’s one of London’s most well known hotels and for good reason. While the Landmark has no traditional terrace as such, its winter garden still makes for a magical sun spot – and is perhaps not such a bad idea when the city’s weather is so unpredictable. Whether you’re there to dine on the modern European menu or opt for a classic or seafood-themed afternoon tea, there’s plenty to feast upon at the Landmark and, if we do say so ourselves, the most elegant setting in which to do so. landmarklondon.co.uk The Sanderson While the Sanderson hotel normally draws people in for its iconic Long Bar and Mad Hatter’s afternoon tea, we’re here to tell you that you shouldn’t be quick to overlook the terrace either. The current pop-up in the garden is with The Uncommon, where you can enjoy a slice of escapism from central London alongside a mint and jasmine rosé wine spritzer. Known for its eco-friendly bubbly wine in a can, The Uncommon drinks are being used to create cool and carefully-crafted cocktails, perfect for summer. ennismore.com Madison Perhaps the OG when it comes to a view of St Paul’s, Madison is most known for its buzzing bar but its restaurant has long been on our radar, too. Whether you’re enjoying a bottle of rosé in the sunshine as you watch people taking photos of the impressive monument or you’re feasting upon dishes such as prawn linguine, swordfish steak or a mixed mezze plate, nothing quite says summer than this terrace. madisonlondon.net St Martins Lane While boasting a variety of dining concepts within the hotel, come summer we’re most interested in the outdoor terrace for some after work drinks. Currently home to TRIP, the terrace offers a quaint oasis just moments from the hustle and bustle of Leicester Square. Sip on refreshing cocktails which have all been inspired by the CBD drinks brand. St Martins Lane’s mixologists have expertly crafted such beverages, featuring the peach and ginger, elderflower and mint, and lemon and basil drinks. To be enjoyed best alongisde small plates such as spiced gazpacho, octopus carpaccio and much more on the main menu. ennismore.com Mama Shelter Forever a favourite in East London and across the globe, Mama Shelter is always a good time – and now that good time can be had on its terrace. Whether you’re making the most of the seasonal drinks pop up at the bar or simply enjoying your brunch (we love the chicken schnitzel and the pulled beef bao), this sun trap is a great spot to unwind come the weekend. mamashelter.com Bantof Blink and you’ll miss it – we’ll get onto the food and drink in a second but Bantof might just win the award for “secret terrace in the centre of London”. In the heart of Soho sits this tiny terrace, which offers the perfect escape to the hustle and bustle of the city – plus some good grub. Sit back with a great martini (though we did have our eye on the almond sour as a virgin digestif, too) and enjoy some seriously good padron peppers, one of the most tender-cooked octopus we’ve tried and an absolutely stunning sea bream tartare. Mains of lamb chops and sea bass certainly did not disappoint and if you’ve got room, there’s a chocolate mousse with your name on it. bantof.com The Hari Secret terraces do seem to be all the rage right now (or in this round up, at least) with even The Hari getting in on the action. This quaint little terrace is perfect for hotel guests or passerbys to sit back with a cocktail and enjoy some sun in a more relaxed environment. While you won’t find DJ beats and dancing, you can enjoy a delicious all-day dining menu featuring everything from oysters to beef brisket croquettes to a tagliata. Currently Malfy Gin has taken over the terrace so you can experience a little bit of Amalfi lifestyle in the heart of London. thehari.com Read More King’s Guard shares sweet exchange with young boy wearing royal uniform Internet sleuths turn to live-stream to help catch people fly tipping in London skip Where to find the best Guinness in London – and how to spot a bad one Is it heat exhaustion or are you just tired? Inside the multi-million pound homes on BBC’s new real estate show Crazy Rich Agents What to know about eating raw oysters safely

There is something so wonderfully comforting about a bowl of ramen noodles, whatever the season,” says chef and TV presenter Shivi Ramoutar, author of Cook Clever. “This version uses packet ramen – don’t turn your nose up at it; I assure you that with the added flavours, veg and protein, it becomes something spectacular and amazingly easy to accomplish. This is one to elevate to your heart’s content – you really can’t go too OTT with this. Have it slurpy or dry as you like.” Pimped packet ramen Serves: 2 Ingredients: For the base: 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil 1 spring onion (white bulb discarded), snipped 1 tsp garlic purée 2 mugs of boiling water 2 packets of ramen noodles (or any other instant noodles) OR 300g ready cooked noodles and 1 chicken stock cube, crumbled OR 300g ready cooked noodles and 2 sachets of miso soup mix For the protein (choose from): 1 mug of frozen, fresh or cooked chicken strips 1 mug of frozen, fresh or cooked seafood 1 mug of frozen or fresh gyoza dumplings ½ block of firm tofu, broken into smaller pieces For the veg: 250g packet of pak choi, leaves separated ½ mug of frozen vegetables Toppers (choose as many as you like): Soft-boiled egg halves Drizzles of chilli oil 1 tbsp sesame seeds Fresh coriander sprigs Fresh chillies Kimchi Drizzles of sriracha Method: 1. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat and cook the spring onion and garlic purée for a couple minutes, stirring often until aromatic. 2. Add the boiling water, along with the dried noodles and their flavour sachets, or the cooked noodles with the crumbled stock cube or the miso soup sachets. Stir together and cook for a minute or two until the liquid is mostly absorbed. 3. Add your chosen protein and the veg and cook until the protein is just cooked through, about five minutes or so. If you are using fresh chicken or seafood it will take less time. If using tofu, add in the last few minutes so it doesn’t disintegrate. 4. Serve into bowls and go crazy with the toppers. ‘Cook Clever: One Chop, No Waste, All Taste’ by Shivi Ramoutar (HarperCollins, £20). Read More The dish that defines me: Mallini Kannan’s baked honey-soy salmon Breakfast for dinner and four other things you should cook this week How to save money in the kitchen according to top chefs Money-saving chilli con carne that absolutely slaps with flavour Do it for the Gram: Speedy but spectacular goat’s cheese linguine Where to find the best Guinness in London – and how to spot a bad one

This is a versatile dish that you can pair with many different things; have it with rice, smother it over fries, put it on a hot dog, pour it over a jacket spud or just use it as a dip for tortilla chips,” says Mitch Lane, author of Feed Your Family For Under A Fiver. “It can be frozen as well, so it’s great for saving time while meal prepping! I use store-bought chilli con carne seasoning, but if you have a lot of spices in your cupboard (cumin, chilli powder, paprika, cumin seeds) then you’re on to a winner. This is so simple and it absolutely slaps with flavour.” Chilli con carne Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 tsp vegetable or olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 green chillies, finely chopped, plus 1 to serve 500g minced beef 41g packet of chilli con carne seasoning 400g tin chopped tomatoes 130g tin kidney beans, drained 300ml beef stock (made with a stock cube) Salt and pepper Method: 1. Put a pan on a medium heat and add the oil and the onion and soften for three to four minutes. Add the garlic and chillies and continue to cook for a further two minutes. If you’re not keen on a lot of spice just use one chilli and remove the seeds. 2. Add the mince and break it up with the back of a spoon, ensuring that there’s no big lumps. Cook the meat until it’s nice and brown. Be generous with the salt and pepper and then add the chilli con carne seasoning. Mix well. 3. Add the tomatoes and kidney beans and stir. Then pour in the beef stock and simmer for 30 minutes. The simmering is very important (it’s like a fine wine that gets better with age). 4. Serve with sliced chilli. ‘Feed Your Family For Under A Fiver’ by Mitch Lane (Thorsons, £16.99). Read More The dish that defines me: Mallini Kannan’s baked honey-soy salmon Breakfast for dinner and four other things you should cook this week How to save money in the kitchen according to top chefs How to pimp up your instant ramen (and save money) Do it for the Gram: Speedy but spectacular goat’s cheese linguine Where to find the best Guinness in London – and how to spot a bad one

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, many of us are looking for ways to save money where we can. Food shops are one of the main things that have become more expensive in recent years – so are there any easy ways to save a bit of cash in the kitchen? Chefs are on hand to share their top money-saving tips… Make simple swaps Suzanne Mulholland, author of The Batch Lady: Cooking On A Budget (HQ, £22) recommends letting go of loyalty to brand names. For example, she says: “You’re not going to notice a difference in flour – yet it’s about a fifth of the price of a branded one.” Mulholland continues: “If you love to eat haddock, then buy hake instead. If you like to eat cod, buy coley instead – monkfish? Buy seacat. These are all very similar fishes, but they’re just not the most popular ones everybody else buys. “You wouldn’t actually notice the difference between eating a different type of fish, because hake is very much like haddock – yet because it’s not that popular, it’s half the price. It’s also locally sourced, because these are all British fish.” Maunika Gowardhan, author of Tandoori Home Cooking (Hardie Grant, £25), also advocates cost-effective swaps. “If it’s a chicken recipe, I normally use chicken thighs over chicken breasts,” she says. “It’s a cheaper cut of meat, and it’s a more flavourful cut of meat.” If you’re a keen baker, The Great British Bake Off’s Kim-Joy (Bake Me A Cat, Quadrille, £16.99) has a top tip for you. As butter “has become so much more expensive”, she recommends “using more vegetable oil in baking”. Make a plan “Most people are cooking blindly,” says chef Max La Manna (You Can Cook This!, Ebury Publishing, £22), “Pulling ingredients together and cooking – they do the same when they go to a supermarket, they buy ingredients – and a lot of waste happens when people don’t have a plan.” La Manna’s top tip is firstly “cook the food you already have before you go out and buy more”. After that, it’s all about making a plan. “Shop smarter,” says La Manna. “Create lists when you go to the supermarket, and stick to that list.” Make your ingredients last longer Throwing away produce that’s gone off is money down the drain – so La Manna is keen for us all to make ingredients last longer. “You can extend the shelf life of ingredients – for instance, most people throw away bag salad or herbs,” he says. “What I do with my bag salad, once I bring it home I’ll wash it and also let it sit in cold water – because it firms up and it gets crisp and it stays fresh a little longer.” Once he’s washed the salad, he divides the bag of leaves – putting half in a container in a tea towel (“to absorb some of the moisture”) and use within the next three or four days. “The other half I cook in hot water – blanch it really quickly, squeeze out the water, then I have this kind of pre-cooked spinach. Roll that up tightly, place it in the freezer and then when I need something in a week’s time – a stew, a soup, a curry, a stir-fry – pop those in.” You can also reduce waste by knowing how to store all your other produce properly. “That’s where a lot of waste is coming in, people put ingredients away, they turn their back and the food’s already gone bad,” says La Manna. “Know how to store your produce and where to store it – potatoes should be kept in a cupboard somewhere dry, dark, cool but well-ventilated so they don’t begin to sprout. Same thing with onions. Bananas like to have their own space – bananas don’t like to be with other ingredients, because they release a chemical and will ripen quicker.” Instead of throwing away bananas on the turn, La Manna says: “It’s great for the freezer, [or] use them in smoothies. Use them as a batter for cupcakes or cakes.” Use every part of your ingredients “With Chinese food, there really is a ‘no waste’ policy,” says Kwoklyn Wan (One Wok, One Pot, Quadrille, £16.99) – and he suggests this ethos could help you save money in the kitchen. “Even when you peel your onions, use the onion skin in the stock” – along with anything else you might normally throw away, such as the top ends of carrots or fish heads. “That’s so important – if people learn to use every part of that ingredient… You can have a fantastic dish with all the best bits, and at the end of it, you’ve got this fantastic soup base. All you’ve got to do is add really cheap noodles into it, and maybe a few veggies and tofu, some chicken – whatever. “You’ve got this lovely broth – and that’s your next meal completely free, or near enough.” Be smart with your ingredients Most of us are guilty of buying an exciting-sounding ingredient for our store cupboard and only using it once. If you really want to save money in the kitchen, it’s all about being smart with what you buy – and making sure you’re going to use it a lot. Lydia Vernon, co-author of Caught Snackin’ (Hamlyn, £20), says that on Caught Snackin’s wildly popular TikTok channel,”we like to keep with the same ingredients for each recipe. “We stay around things like mixed herbs, garlic powder, plain flour – those kind of staples you have in your cupboard all the time, which are going to be cost-effective.” Food writer Gurdeep Loyal (Mother Tongue, Fourth Estate, £26) takes this one step further, saying: “My advice would be to equip your pantry with four or five very flavour-forward ingredients – things such as tamarind paste, things such as brown miso, things such as fennel seeds, for example, or something like tandoori masala powder. “Because these four or five pantry staples can transform anything really simple and basic – just adding a spoonful of this is going to amplify your cooking into hundreds of different directions. “It means you can use very basic supermarket staples, then turn them into something incredible” – without having to spend money on fancy new ingredients every week. Read More The dish that defines me: Mallini Kannan’s baked honey-soy salmon Breakfast for dinner and four other things you should cook this week Money-saving chilli con carne that absolutely slaps with flavour How to pimp up your instant ramen (and save money) Do it for the Gram: Speedy but spectacular goat’s cheese linguine Where to find the best Guinness in London – and how to spot a bad one

This vibrantly green pasta recipe is one of my favourites in the book,” says Mimi Harrison, author of Beat The Budget. “Not only is it bright and Instagrammable, it’s also so delicious. The frozen spinach is reasonably priced and you don’t have to worry about it going off in the fridge. And the goat’s cheese provides creaminess, acidity and tang, all in one ingredient (hello, cost-effective!). “This is ideal for a speedy meal when you’re in a rush, or to serve to friends at a dinner party when you don’t want to spend half the night in the kitchen.” Goat’s cheese, spinach and basil linguine Serves: 5 Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 500g linguine 3 garlic cloves, finely grated 160g frozen spinach 125g goat’s cheese 30g fresh basil Salt and pepper to taste Chilli flakes (optional) Method: 1. Set a non-stick pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and gently fry for four minutes. 2. Meanwhile, set a large pan of salted water over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Add the linguine and cook for two minutes less than the packet cooking time. 3. While the pasta is cooking and once the onions have softened, add the garlic to fry for a minute before adding the frozen spinach to the pan, along with 400 millilitres of the starchy pasta water. Increase the heat and cook the spinach and onion mix until the pasta is ready. 4. Add the spinach and onion mix to a blender with half of the goat’s cheese and the basil and blitz until smooth. 5. Drain the linguine and transfer back to the pan. Pour over the blended sauce and continue to cook over a low\medium heat. 6. After about two minutes, the sauce should thicken and coat the linguine. Serve with a sprinkle of any remaining goat’s cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper. Optionally, top with chilli flakes if you love a little heat. ‘Beat The Budget’ by Mimi Harrison (Ebury Press, £16.99). Read More The dish that defines me: Mallini Kannan’s baked honey-soy salmon Breakfast for dinner and four other things you should cook this week How to save money in the kitchen according to top chefs Money-saving chilli con carne that absolutely slaps with flavour How to pimp up your instant ramen (and save money) Where to find the best Guinness in London – and how to spot a bad one

Defining Dishes is a new Indyeats column that explores the significance of food at key moments in our lives. From recipes that have been passed down for generations, to flavours that hold a special place in our hearts, food shapes every part of our lives in ways we might not have ever imagined. I came up with this baked honey-soy salmon dish in the first flat I ever had all to myself, as a master’s student in Stirling, Scotland. I think that’s what makes me feel most proud of it, because it was the first thing I made that made me truly feel like an adult. I was 25 and had been living away from home in Malaysia for nearly five years, and although I never really cooked with fish, I was really craving it, particularly Chinese steamed fish. Salmon was relatively cheap in Scotland, but I always felt that there was something about cooking fish that was very intimidating. It felt like it was too fancy for me. I also feel like it’s still socially acceptable to eat overcooked, dry chicken breast, but eating overcooked fish is just much more unpleasant and no one wants that. But something came over me one day when I saw a fresh salmon fillet with a really good discount in the Tesco clearance aisle. Maybe that should tell you something about me – I don’t know if others would consider that safe – but it looked good and I said, “You know what, maybe today’s the day”. At the time, it so happened that honey-soy salmon was really trending, I had seen it all over the place. I didn’t Google a recipe, I just sort of figured out what flavours could be good on a piece of fish. I made a sauce using soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine and maple syrup (which was gifted to me by one of my very nice friends), poured it on top of the fish and shoved it in the oven, because I didn’t have a steamer then. I did look up how long to cook it for, and Google said 20 minutes. I ate it with steamed rice and to my delight, surprise and relief, it was absolutely delicious. I felt really good about it. It was a real level-up moment in my life. It was the first time I had made a difficult dish, even though the actual labour wasn’t difficult at all and it is essentially a very simple dish. It made me feel like I could do it; I could make grown-up food. At the time, I was 24 or 25-years-old and I had been living away from home for some time, but never without housemates. So I was truly on my own. It was a revelation to realise that I could make Chinese food like this at home. I come from a Malaysian-Indian family. We don’t steam much of anything and so if I wanted steamed fish, I’d have to go to a Chinese restaurant. But now, I didn’t really have to. After that, it became my hyper-fixation meal. I just couldn’t get enough of it and made it all the time – at the peak of my fixation, I ate it three times a week. But I did learn that it does not make for good leftovers. It must be eaten on the day it’s made, otherwise the fishy smell gets a bit unappealing. Once I learned that, I ate it about once a week, and each time I’d experiment with it. I learned the importance of adding aromatics like garlic, ginger, spring onions, coriander and chili. But the key motivator to my experiments was laziness. Could I get away with not slicing things up? What if I don’t want to turn the stove on? How can I cut corners? No matter what kind of nonsense I threw at it, it has always turned out reliably good. The first time I cooked the dish for someone else was when my parents came to visit me from Malaysia. We had just returned from a trip, and they were staying in my flat for a week and it was the first time they came to a place that was truly mine. I remember very clearly cooking the salmon for them because a couple of friends had invited me out to the pub that night and I wanted to go, but I didn’t want to order takeaway for my parents – they were at that stage in their holiday when all Asian parents get grumpy because they haven’t had rice in three days and it was paramount that they ate some immediately. I had 30 minutes before I had to get going to the pub, and I figured that I knew how to cook this dish so well by now that I could get it done in 20 minutes. However, it was also the first time I had scaled a fish. Before, I just cooked the fish with scales and all, I didn’t even realise you had to take them off. For some reason, this time I decided I needed to scale this slab of salmon. I read one Google-recommended article and was like: “Let’s go.” What they don’t tell you is that scales fly. They go absolutely everywhere. And there’s a kind of black coating, like a slime, on the fish that will also go everywhere. I remember my parents peeking their head around the kitchen door to ask if everything was OK, and me just barking: “YA IT’S FINE.” I had to get that thing in the oven NOW, so it had to happen. And you know what? It turned out great. This was the second dish I’ve made for my parents that they’ve said: “Oh, wow.” The first time was for a prawn curry, but this was special because they were so impressed by the efficiency of it and also, it was the first time they realised that wow, I’m an adult, I’ve figured it out. They were used to me making good food, but this was the first practical dish; it’s not me sitting in the kitchen, having to cut a mountain of onions and pounding galangal. Last year, after I moved to Virginia to be with my husband, I made it for him for the first time. It feels really nice to share this part of me with him. It was a piece of myself that I figured out on my own, before married life, and it feels really significant because it was my independence dish. I want everybody to make it. However, I have a bone to pick with fishmongers in the UK. I want to know why they don’t scale the fish you buy unless they’re asked. Surely nobody wants to eat the scales? Just scale it please, thank you very much. And if any readers have suggestions for how I can make my baked salmon skin crispy, I would very much like to know. I still haven’t figured that part out yet. Mallini Kannan is a communications specialist from Malaysia, who now lives in the US with her husband. She still cooks this dish every week. Read More The dish that defines me: Frank Yeung’s prawn wontons The dish that defines me: Alex Outhwaite’s Vietnamese bun cha The dish that defines me: Eddie Huang’s Taiwanese beef noodle soup Breakfast for dinner and four other things you should cook this week Where to find the best Guinness in London – and how to spot a bad one How sizzling kitchen drama The Bear is spicing up the dating game for chefs

Mick Fleetwood has confirmed that his restaurant in Hawaii has been burnt down by the ongoing deadly wildfires in Maui. The Fleetwood Mac co-founder, 76, wrote in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that Fleetwood’s on Front Street “has been lost” as the fires ripped through the historic town of Lahaina on the island. At least 67 people have died in the disaster, alongside more than 1,700 buildings and billions of dollars in property that have been destroyed. More than 14,000 people have been evacuated from Maui as of Wednesday. In his post, Fleetwood wrote: “Maui and the Lahaina community have been my home for several decades. This is a devastating moment for Maui, and many are suffering unimaginable loss. “Fleetwood’s on Front Street has been lost and while we are heartbroken, our main priority is the safety of our dear staff and team members. On behalf of myself and my family, I share my heartfelt thoughts and prayers for the people of Maui. “We are committed to supporting the community and those affected by this disaster in the days and months and years to come,” he added. Fleetwood opened his fine dining restaurant in 2012, featuring live entertainment and a rooftop area for customers to enjoy. The restaurant’s official Instagram account also shared a post, which read: “We do not have enough information at this time regarding Fleetwood’s on Front Street or any of our neighbours to share. Mahalo for your continued thoughts and prayers for our ohana, community and our first responders.” The wildfires began on Tuesday and have worsened throughout the week as a faraway hurricane fanned the flames, causing them to spread quickly. Governor Josh Green of Hawaii told a news conference on Thursday (10 August): “The full extent of the destruction of Lahaina will shock you. It does appear that a bomb went off.” US president Joe Biden issued a major disaster declaration and has ordered Federal aid to help local recovery efforts in the affected areas. He added in a White House statement: “Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families of those who lost loved ones in the wildfires in Maui, and our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses and communities destroyed. “We are grateful to the brave firefighters and first responders who continue to run toward danger, putting themselves in harm’s way to save lives.” A number of celebrities have also sent the people of Maui their well-wishes and have shared ways fans can help. Jason Momoa, who is Hawaiian, shared a post on Instagram to inform fans where they can donate to help with rescue efforts. He wrote: “We are devastated and heartbroken for our friends and ohana on Maui who [have] been impacted by the recent wildfires.” Bette Midler tweeted this week: “The beautiful island of Maui, in the most beautiful state in the union, is suffering. My family and I send our deepest and most profound sympathies to everyone who has lost anything or everything in the Maui fires.” Former US president Barack Obama has also spoken out and said in an Instagram Story: “It’s tough to see some of the images coming out of Hawaii – a place that’s special to so many of us. Michelle and I are thinking of everyone who has lost a loved one, or whose life has been turned upside down.” Read More Maui fires – live: Wildfires death toll climbs to 55 with 1,000 people still missing on Hawaii island ‘Heartbroken’ Aquaman star Jason Momoa reacts to ‘apocalyptic’ Maui wildfires Woman says her life was ‘blown up’ by viral plane rant where she called passenger ‘not real’ Where to find the best Guinness in London – and how to spot a bad one How to save money on your summer barbecue as prices soar Madeira: an unparalleled gastro heaven

Rising living costs are having a wide-ranging impact on our everyday lives, including when it comes to summer barbecues. In fact, the cost of food and drink for a typical summer barbecue in the UK could be around £10 more than last year, according to new calculations by Canada Life. The financial services provider, which used Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures to make the calculations, has put the cost of a typical barbecue at around £90, up from around £80 last summer. Of course, the actual cost will vary depending on exactly what you buy and how many people you’re catering for. In its basket of barbecue goods, Canada Life piled in products such as beef burgers, pork sausages, baking potatoes, chicken, meat-free sausages, veggie burgers, bread rolls, mayonnaise, cheese, salad ingredients, crisps, fizzy drink and alcoholic beverages. How can you keep barbecue costs down? If you’re keen to make the most of summer barbecue opportunities, but conscious of your budget too, Canada Life also has some tips. Spokesperson Shelley Greenwood suggests: “If you’re hosting more than once this summer, don’t throw out the charcoal after one use. Make sure you put out the fire safely and keep what is left in the barbecue for next time. Simply top up with new charcoal as needed.” Greenwood also suggests using price comparison apps such as Trolley to compare prices of items on your shopping list. “Then place your order through a cashback site to save even more,” she adds. She also suggests checking out apps for food in your local area that is being sold cheaply or perhaps even given away. For example, the Too Good to Go app allows people to search for bags of food being sold cheaply at places such as grocery stores, restaurants and cafes that might otherwise be destined to go to waste. Food sharing app Olio also helps stop surplus food going to waste, with users posting pictures of giveaways, including food and other items. Greenwood also suggests looking out for “yellow sticker” food items, which have been marked down in the supermarket, like cuts of meat or fish. Check these can be frozen and, if so, freeze them the same day and “simply defrost according to instructions ahead of your barbecue”, adds Greenwood. Also, rather than buying side dishes, go through your cupboards and fridge to see what ingredients could be transformed. Perhaps you could make your own pasta salad, or roast some tomatoes while you’re cooking something else, to create side dishes. You could also ask party guests to bring along a few sides to help share the costs. And if your priorities are more about having a summer gathering than firing up a barbecue, you could also consider by-passing the barbecue altogether and preparing food in your air fryer or slow cooker instead. Greenwood adds: “This way, you’re not reliant on the weather either.” Read More What I lost (and gained) by walking 10,000 steps each day for 5 months Woman says her life was ‘blown up’ by viral plane rant where she called passenger ‘not real’ How to save money in the kitchen according to top chefs Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

There’s a meal in Singapore called ‘scissors-cut rice’, a selection of dishes piled high over a plate of lovely fluffy rice and topped with curry sauce,” says chef Jeremy Pang. “Originating from Hainanese Chinese descendants, the dish can be seen as a cross between a Malaysian nasi lemak and a Japanese katsu curry.” Curry sauce and rice Serves: 2 Ingredients: 2 cups of jasmine rice 2 cups of water 1 onion, finely diced ½ thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 3 green chillies, pierced with the tip of your knife 1 potato, peeled and cut into 5cm chunks 300ml chicken stock 200g okra (swapsies: green beans), cut into 3-4cm lengths Vegetable oil For the sauce: 150ml coconut milk 1 tbsp sambal (swapsies: chilli bean sauce/toban jiang) 1 tbsp light soy sauce ½ tsp salt For the spices: 2 star anise 1 cinnamon stick 1½ tbsp curry powder Method: 1. Wash the rice at least three times. Place in a bowl and run under cold water, gently moving the rice grains between the tips of your fingers. Pour the rice through a sieve in between each wash, until the water runs clear. Sieve one last time and set aside. 2. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a jug. 3. Build your wok clock: start at 12 o’clock with the rice, followed by the onion, ginger and garlic, the spices, green chillies, potato, the sauce, chicken stock and lastly the okra. 4. Place the rice in a saucepan with the measured water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, place on a medium-high heat and bring to a vigorous boil. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid on for 12-15 minutes until the liquid has evaporated to the point where you start to see air pockets form in between some of the rice grains. Replace the lid, turn the heat off and leave the rice to sit for another 15 minutes or so until ready to serve. 5. Once the rice is cooking, heat one to two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a saucepan to a medium heat, add the onion and fry for two to three minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for a minute or so. Then add all the spices together, the green chillies and potato in turn, frying for about a minute after each addition. Pour in a quarter of the sauce and bring to a vigorous boil. Add another quarter of the sauce and again bring to a boil, then repeat this process until all the sauce has been added. Bring to a boil once again, pour in the chicken stock and cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes. Then add the okra and cook for five to 10 minutes before serving with the rice. ‘Jeremy Pang’s School Of Wok: Simple Family Feasts’ (Hamlyn, £22). Read More Marina O’Loughlin is wrong – there’s joy in solo dining Budget Bites: Three recipes to keep food bills down before pay day Meal plan: Romesco chicken and other recipes to fall in love with The chef who hated food as a child Who knew a simple flan could be so well-travelled? How to make Thai favourite lemongrass chicken stir-fry

Of all the sweet dishes in the world, you wouldn’t expect the simple flan to be so well-travelled,” says chef Jeremy Pang. “Yet when you look at the simplicity of its ingredients – essentially a sweetened and flavoured egg custard – you can see why so many cultures have adopted the flan into their own cuisines. “This coffee-flavoured version is found in most coffee shops in Vietnam, but it’s also one of the most popular desserts in the Philippines.” Coffee and coconut flan Makes: 10 Ingredients: For the caramel: 300g caster sugar 300ml water For the custard: 6 large eggs, at room temperature 400ml coconut milk 300ml condensed milk 1 shot of strong espresso (swapsies: 2 tbsp good-quality instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp hot water) Whipped cream, fresh fruit or sugared peanuts, to decorate Method: 1. Stand 10 ramekins in an ovenproof dish or a deep-sided baking tray. Preheat the oven to 160C/350F/gas mark 4. 2. For the caramel, place the sugar and water in a saucepan on a low heat and stir for three to four minutes, until the sugar fully dissolves. Increase the heat to high and allow the sugar syrup to boil vigorously, without stirring, for about five to six minutes until it reaches a rich golden brown colour, taking care to ensure it doesn’t burn. Once ready, carefully and without hesitation, divide the caramel between the ramekins to form a layer of caramel on the base of each one. 3. For the custard, crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, add the coconut milk and condensed milk, and beat well to form a thick, smooth mixture. Add the coffee and stir in, then strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a jug. Divide evenly between the ramekins. 4. Pour boiling water into the ovenproof dish until level with the top of the custard in the ramekins, being careful not to get any in the flans. Bake for 45 minutes to one hour, depending on size, until set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then remove the ramekins from the hot water, taking care not to burn yourself. Allow to cool completely before serving. 5. To serve, loosen the rim of each flan using a dampened finger and then turn out onto a serving plate. Decorate with whipped cream, fresh fruit or sugared peanuts. ‘Jeremy Pang’s School Of Wok: Simple Family Feasts’ (Hamlyn, £22). Read More Marina O’Loughlin is wrong – there’s joy in solo dining Budget Bites: Three recipes to keep food bills down before pay day Meal plan: Romesco chicken and other recipes to fall in love with The chef who hated food as a child Midweek comfort food: Singaporean curry sauce and rice How to make Thai favourite lemongrass chicken stir-fry

Jeremy Pang doesn’t have a classic chef origin story: he “hated” food as a child. Before he turned 10, the chef, teacher and owner of the School of Wok in London admits: “I hated eating – I honestly did not like food. “Up to the age of, like, nine, it would take my mum two, three hours to get my dinner down me. I just didn’t want to eat – I wanted to go out and play football with my mates. I wanted to go and do stuff and play – I also wanted to eat fish fingers and all the stuff my friends were eating at home.” Pang grew up in a Chinese household and is a third-generation chef. When he was 10 years old, his family moved from the UK to Singapore for two years. Now aged 39 and based in southwest London, Pang says upon making the move, his “life completely changed”. He says: “When you go into hawker centres [open-air food markets] in Singapore, it’s a different world. Every single stall is a specialist in one type of food – not even cuisine. So you might have one uncle who has cooked chicken rice for his whole life, or another person who has cooked Hokkien Mee [a stir-fried noodle dish] for 40 years. “When people are as specialist as that, you cannot not want to eat it. And you see everyone digging into their food with no real etiquette – but the etiquette is the enjoyment of that bowl of food.” From there, Pang says Singapore “opened mine and my sister’s horizons” and he fell in love with food. With Singapore’s proximity to other Southeast Asian countries, he was exposed to a variety of cuisines – from Indonesian to Malaysian – many of which are taught at the School of Wok, along with the Chinese food Pang grew up with. With two kids of his own, aged six and two, Pang says: “I now feel so sorry for my mum.” Before the Covid-19 pandemic, the chef says of his oldest: “It was really difficult to get him to enjoy anything that wasn’t raw carrot or cucumber – which actually is healthy at least, but every day? That’s hard.” The pandemic shifted his son’s eating habits. Pang took a couple of months off and “cooked with him – we started making homemade pizzas, flapjacks – anything he wanted to make. He definitely at that point thought he had more of a Western palate, but I’ve known since he was really young and started eating that he does love Chinese food. “He likes the slightly lighter palate, and home-cooked Chinese food can be quite light – steamed fish, flash-fried vegetables, things like that.” One constant from Pang’s childhood to his family life now is the concept of feasting – serving multiple dishes for one meal. “This is how Asian cuisine is eaten, and should be eaten,” he says simply. “My style of cooking is 100 per cent home cooking anyway, and I’ve grown up with it. If you are Asian, that’s just a way of life. But if you’re not, it’s hard to compute how to get four or five dishes on the table, all hot or in the right state at the right time.” He continues: “Even if when we’re doing midweek meals at home, if I’m cooking Chinese or Southeast Asian just for the four of us, I’ll quite often cook two or three dishes. Those two or three dishes are there to be shared – that absolutely is our way of cooking and eating.” Pang’s latest book, Simple Family Feasts, is all about demystifying this concept for home cooks who haven’t grown up with it. Each chapter is dedicated to a different cuisine – including Chinese, Vietnamese, Singaporean and Indonesian – and shows you how to build a feast, guiding you through which dishes to make and in what order. Balance is crucial to pulling off a feast. “If, for example, you just ate crispy, deep-fried stuff – which is terribly bad for you, but we all love it – yes, you want to eat lots of it at the beginning. But five minutes later, you might get lost in that deep fried, crispy, greasy world, and so you’re likely to stop eating it at some point quite quickly. “But if you had something crispy, you have something opposite that melts in the mouth, you had something soft with a gentle bite, you had crunchy – usually from fresh vegetables or flash-fried vegetables, salads, anything like that – and you had a perfect balance of those textures. Honestly, I think you could just keep eating.” Growing up with this style of cooking must make Pang a brilliant multitasker – something he says is “a great skill to have”, but “sometimes it’s my worst enemy”. “I’m constantly multitasking – I get to the end of the day and I don’t know what’s happened, I sometimes can’t tell you what I’ve done in a day. I might have done a million different things… So in some ways, I’m very good at multitasking – but when I get home, my wife probably wouldn’t agree with that.” Like all of Pang’s cookbooks, this is an “ode to my father”, who passed away in 2009. “He’s the one who instilled that love of cooking and cuisine – especially Asian food. He never really taught me how to cook, he just said, ‘Stand and watch’, or, ‘Taste this and tell me what’s in it’. That was his style of teaching.” ‘Jeremy Pang’s School Of Wok: Simple Family Feasts’ (published by Hamlyn; £22). Read More Marina O’Loughlin is wrong – there’s joy in solo dining Budget Bites: Three recipes to keep food bills down before pay day Meal plan: Romesco chicken and other recipes to fall in love with Who knew a simple flan could be so well-travelled? Midweek comfort food: Singaporean curry sauce and rice How to make Thai favourite lemongrass chicken stir-fry

I know with absolute certainty why this dish is a big-hitter on the School of Wok YouTube channel,” says chef Jeremy Pang. “Like many Thai curries and stews, it’s bold in flavour, but it can be cooked in a fraction of the time it takes for some of the slower-cooked recipes. “That means less time spent salivating over the stove and more time to eat. This fierce stir-fry will make your mouth water and your guests’ too – if you haven’t picked it all out of the wok before they arrive!” Lemongrass chicken Serves: 2 Ingredients: 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks 1 tbsp chicken stock or water ½ white or brown onion, finely sliced 2-3 lime leaves Handful of Thai basil leaves Vegetable oil For the curry paste: 3 spring onions, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, bruised and finely chopped ½ thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped ½ thumb-sized piece of turmeric, peeledand finely chopped (swapsies: 1 tsp ground turmeric) 5-6 lime leaves, finely chopped ½ tsp salt For the sauce: 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tbsp fish sauce ½ tbsp palm sugar 50ml chicken stock Method: 1. Pound the paste ingredients together using a pestle and mortar, adding them one at a time, or blitz them in a food processor to form a smooth paste (you may need to add a tablespoon or so of water). 2. Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. 3. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl. Mix one tablespoon of the curry paste with the chicken stock or water and massage it into the chicken. 4. Build your wok clock: start at 12 o’clock with the marinated chicken, followed by the rest of the curry paste, the onion, the sauce, lime leaves and lastly the Thai basil leaves. 5. Heat one to two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok on a high heat until smoking hot. Add the marinated chicken and sear for a minute without moving, then fold the chicken over to sear on the other side for another minute or so. Once the chicken has a nice crisp edge and is fully browned, push it to the side of the wok. Add the curry paste to the centre of the wok, then the onion and fold the chicken over the mixture to incorporate and prevent the meat from burning. After about a minute, the onion should start to wilt. At this point, increase the heat and allow the wok to smoke before pouring the sauce around the edges of the wok. Bring to a vigorous boil, fold the chicken through and stir-fry for one to two minutes. Add the lime leaves and Thai basil leaves to finish and serve immediately. ‘Jeremy Pang’s School Of Wok: Simple Family Feasts’ (Hamlyn, £22). Read More Marina O’Loughlin is wrong – there’s joy in solo dining Budget Bites: Three recipes to keep food bills down before pay day Meal plan: Romesco chicken and other recipes to fall in love with The chef who hated food as a child Who knew a simple flan could be so well-travelled? Midweek comfort food: Singaporean curry sauce and rice