Staples

When I heard that peanuts have the ability to curdle like soybeans, and can therefore be turned into a tofu similar to soybean tofu, I wanted to give it a go. To save you the suspense, it does not work. Yes, peanut milk curdles when heated and mixed with a curdling agent (like vinegar, lemon juice, gypsum or nigari), but the curdles are much finer than those achieved with soybeans and, once strained and pressed, do not turn into a firm texture. Nonetheless, the experiment was not for nothing. Although the result didn’t resemble a tofu, it was actually very similar to a whey cheese (like ricotta) and worked extremely well as a spread on bread, especially if the curdling agent was either lemon juice or vinegar thanks to the flavoursome tang.

Curry leaves grow in abundance in India and are easily available in most shops for a few rupees. But if you live elsewhere you might find it difficult to source them. The trouble is that curry leaves are an incredibly aromatic and delicious addition to Indian food. From fragrant tempering to spice mixes, they can add the magical touch that makes the dish taste like a portal to another culture. In other words, you really don’t want to miss out on them.

Coconut milk is a creamy staple made by blending coconut flesh with water. Perfect for curries, soups, or smoothies, it’s rich, versatile and nourishing.

Unlock the full potential of saffron’s luxurious flavor and vibrant color by learning how to bloom it properly! Blooming saffron is a simple yet essential technique that releases its rich aroma and deep hues, elevating your dishes from good to excellent. Whether you’re making rice, stews or desserts, this easy step ensures you get the most out of every precious strand.

Chances are that you have already extracted your own potato starch in the past, when you’ve made any form of potato pancake such as hash browns, Reibekuchen or latkes. Many recipes will direct you to use a cheesecloth and squeeze the coarsely grated potatoes as dry as possible to achieve a crispy finish.

Think about the amount of times you use salt. Now imagine adding a pinch of nutrients every time you use it. That’s exactly what this seaweed salt is all about. Despite seasoning your food, you’re boosting it with a range of minerals, antioxidants and vitamins.

Tahini is essentially made from just 1 ingredient: sesame seeds. It’s one of those key condiments that you should always have in your pantry. Mix with lemon juice, garlic, salt and water and you have a quick, but extremely rich and versatile sauce that will take your dishes to the next level.

Making your own nut butter at home is an easy and rewarding process that allows you to customize the flavor and texture to your liking while enjoying a healthier, more natural alternative to store-bought versions. From almonds and cashews to pecans and pistachios, any nut can be transformed into a creamy and delicious spread. Homemade nut butter is perfect for spreading on bread, adding to smoothies, or using in baking recipes, and it’s a great way to incorporate more healthy fats and protein into your diet.

Spring onions, also known as green onions or scallions, are a popular ingredient used in a variety of dishes, from salads and stir-fries to soups and garnishes. Instead of discarding the root ends of your spring onions, you can easily regrow them using a simple water method, saving you money and reducing waste.

One of my favourite ways to use up leftover aromatics and herbs is to blend them into a fragrant paste that can kickstart any mediterranean-styled dish. This works best with aromatics like onions and garlic, crunchy veg like celery or leftover stalks from cavolo nero, as well as mediterranean herbs like basil, parsley, chives, thyme & rosemary.

Consider this the evolution of the Cashew Ferment. Let’s call it Cashew Ferment 2.0. This time, we’re taking it a step further by shaping the fermented cashews into round cylinders and letting them age to a semi-firm, sliceable consistency.

With the help of agar flakes, a plant-based gelatine derived from seaweed, you can turn any strained fruit juice into semi-solid pearls, often called fruit caviar. It’s an easy way to dabble into molecular gastronomy and apply a form of spherification, where a liquid is turned into a tangible sphere. Fruit pearls make an excellent garnish on desserts and will add a pop of colour and subtle flavour.

Let there be no confusion. This is not an authentic curry. But many of you have asked for a simple and quick recipe that will make life in the kitchen easier. Which brings me to the giant ice cube hack. We’ve all been there. When you batch cook an entire meal, the freezer fills up pretty rapidly, bags go unlabelled, you forget to defrost them in time and veg turns mushy in the attempt.

This is not cheese. It’s not cream cheese. It’s not trying to be either. It is a creamy spread made out of fermented cashews. A cashew ferment. And while I agree that it might need a better name, to me it’s one of the most exciting foods I’ve shared on here.

If you’ve ever made spring or summer rolls, you’ve probably ended up with a few rice papers spare. A fun way of using them up is to turn them into giant rice paper crisps, by dropping them into hot oil for just a few seconds.

The humble garlic poses one of humankind’s greatest challenges. The more you use, the merrier. At least in most cases. Yet nature has cloaked it with a nifty defence that slows down the most willing chef. The first two hacks below will help you to not only speed up the peeling, but to dedicate some time to make it all worthwhile. Whenever you make a dish that requires a kick of garlic, it’ll only take the mere opening of the freezer to deliver plentiful.

Once you’ve made something from scratch, you’ll never look at it at the same way. It’s transformative education. It decodes food labels and their ingredient lists, it qualifies price tags, it makes you appreciate, savour and cherish every bite more. The first time I truly felt this way, was when I baked a successful loaf of sourdough bread. You’ll never look back.

Knowing how to temper chocolate is a skilful way to level up your confectionary game. Properly tempered chocolate has a shiny finish and breaks with a satisfying snap, whereas chocolate that hasn’t been tempered looks dull, quickly melts in your hands and feels soft. Be it for coating pralines or creating festive chocolates with moulds, tempered chocolate will always show that a skilled hand has been at work.

A quick word of caution. Homemade hemp seed tofu is not quite like soybean tofu. It makes a much denser and pastier tofu with a bitter flavour. Using the right amount of vinegar and seasoning it well before serving helps with the bitterness, but the texture is still very much a work in progress. Nonetheless, this tofu is an expression of what is possible with locally grown foods and takes some pressure of the much overused soybean.

I first came across fruit cheeses in Kylee Newton’s brilliant The Modern Preserver and this recipe is very much inspired by the methods described in her book. If you want to learn more about preserving food in its many flavoursome and creative ways, from jams to pickles and from vinegars to fruit cheeses, then let this book be a guiding hand in your kitchen.

There is a good reason why Dijon mustard first originated in the region of its namesake city. Here, Ancient Roman methods ensured that grapevines where grown alongside mustard, which would enrich the soil and provide essential nutrients such as phosphorus. The surplus of mustard seeds and the access to grapes and wine quickly led to the production of Dijon-style mustard.

Growing up in Germany, a great many weekends would start with a slice of bread, covered generously with quark followed by a spoonful of homemade strawberry jam. Quark is a type of dairy product that is almost like a very mild fresh cheese, if you imagined it strained, smoothened and instantly refrigerated. Its cold, soft texture makes it a refreshing base that perfectly carries a layer of jam. Rarely a weekend went by with my dad skipping this tradition and so it has forever burnt itself into my nostalgia of childhood.

Fruit leather is an easy way to turn any leftover fruit into homemade (healthy) candy. By slowly evaporating all of the moisture, you are dehydrating and preserving the fruit.

Black sesame seeds are not just white sesame seeds with the hull left on, they are actually a different variety. They have a rustic nutty, slightly bitter flavour that feels less rounded on the palette than the one of white seeds. From a health perspective, they are packed with more nutrients than their white counterparts.

Tofu is said to have originated in ancient China more than 2,000 years ago. Although the theories of its origin are debated, it is likely to have been an accidental discovery when a liquid consisting of soybeans was mixed with a coagulant such as acidity or calcium that would have caused the liquid to curdle.

If you remember in time, you can soak the oats overnight to soften them, allowing them to blend slightly better. If you intend to use the oat milk for coffee, add a small dash of oil, which will help to emulsify the strained oat liquid and water to froth up. You could also soak a few nuts like cashews together with the oats, which naturally contain plenty of oil and will do the trick.

Seeded rye bread, or Vollkornbrot/Roggenbrot, is rich in minerals, vitamins, and fiber. Dark rye flour gives it a deep, nutty flavor and hearty texture.

Nuts are packed with protein and healthy fats. Use them in nut butter recipes for smoothies, cookies or just eat by the spoonful for a tasty, nutritious boost.