Try canned salmon with a little lemon juice in place of mushrooms. For a healthier version, replace cream with low-fat evaporated milk. To thicken, blend 1 teaspoon cornflour with 1 tablespoon evaporated milk and stir slowly into remaining milk. Note

Be careful when working with silken tofu as it is very soft and breaks easily. Use a mix of basil and mint leaves if you cannot find japanese mint. Note

Basil can be substituted for parsley. Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Pink and yellow oyster mushrooms are available at selected farmers’ markets, grocery stores and online. Choose mushrooms as described by variety. Avoid slimy looking caps and those that look shrivelled. Store mushrooms as described by variety, otherwise, store in a paper or calico bag in the refrigerator. They generally last for up to 3 days […]

Oatmeal, also sold as oatmeal flour, is made from milled oat kernels; it is not the same product as rolled oats or oat bran. It is available at health food stores. Note

You can improvise with the ingredients in this trifle. Try sponge finger biscuits instead of biscotti, raspberries in place of cherries and a nut-flavoured liqueur as a substitute for the marsala. Biscotti is available at selected delicatessens, specialty food stores and online. Note

Not suitable to freeze or microwave. Note

A quesadilla (from queso, the Spanish word for cheese) is a tortilla “sandwich” containing cheese and any of a wide number of spicy filling ingredients, which is grilled, fried or toasted and usually served with salsa. You need to buy two untrimmed corn cobs (800g) to get the amount of trimmed corn needed for this […]

Malibu is the brand name of a rum-based coconut liqueur. Note

You can substitute a white medium-grain rice if koshihikari is unavailable. Note

A flavourful dish for barbecues, lunch or dinner.

This recipe is best made close to serving. Not suitable to microwave. Not suitable to freeze. Note

Fried noodles, also known as crispy noodles, are used in sang choy bow and chow mein. They can be found in supermarkets, usually in 50g or 100g packets, already deep-fried. Note

Serve the cutlets with a spoonful of sweet apple sauce, if liked. Note

Using wide, tender pappardelle means more surface area to carry that delicious, cheesy, prosciutto-packed carbonara sauce right to your watering mouth.

You can use any combination of berries you like or seasonal fruits such as mango or banana. Note

Serve with a bowl of combined yoghurt and coarsely chopped fresh coriander, if desired. Note

You will get about eight mussels per serve. Mussels should be bought from a fish market where there is reliably fresh fish. They must be tightly closed when bought, indicating they are alive. Some mussels might not open after cooking. These might need help with a knife or might not have cooked as quickly as […]