Chunky Chocolate Brownies

*Also available for purchase ready made To Order

Adapted from Mary Berry's excellent Ultimate Cake Book, these decadent chunk-filled goodies are the single most popular item in my baking repertoire. Some people like warm gooey brownies, but I personally prefer dense ones like these which get a lot more intense and chocolatey when left to go cold and stored in a container overnight. More like indulgent slabs of pure chocolate than cake if you will :)

Chunky Chocolate Brownies

Melt together and let cool:

350g (12oz) dark chocolate (I generally use those with cocoa content around the 50%-60% mark)

225g (8oz) butter

Whisk together until pale and frothy, and beat into chocolate mixture:

3 eggs, beaten

225g (8oz) sugar (I use half white half brown usually)

A few drops coffee essence (or 2 tsp instant coffee, diluted in 2 tbsp water)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Fold in:

3 tbsp self-raising flour

225g (8oz) dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Pour into a lined 12"x 9" shallow baking tray.

Bake at 190 C (0r 170C fan-assisted) for about 45 mins until firm to touch with a dull crust. Leave to cool in tin.

Cut only when completely cold and store in a container (chocolate flavour intensifies if left overnight).

Perfect Crunchy Butter Caramel Popcorn

*This recipe was originally posted on 8 July 2009, but has now been revised to include the extra step of baking which turns caramel popcorn CRAZY crunchy*

Serves 2 or 3, or 1 if you are a greedy popcorn glutton

Let me preface this by saying that unless you run a cinema chain or concession stand of some kind, there is absolutely no sense in buying a popcorn machine. A stove, a regular saucepan and a handful of kernels gets you a mountain of perfect popcorn in minutes, and once you've stove-popped your own you will never comprehend why you used to pay for pre-packed or microwaveable bags either.

If you like popcorn and have never homemade it before, start now; it is by far the cheapest, fastest, tastiest and easiest way of eating this most moreish and addictive of snacks. Skip the calorific toppings and it becomes the healthiest too- pillowy wholegrain bundles with not an additive, flavouring, preservative or extra calorie in sight.

Of course if you're like me, then full-fat caramel popcorn is the only way to go hence the recipe below :) Baking gives it an excellent crunch, but if you don't own an oven or are too lazy then just toss the caramel with the corn to coat and leave to cool (it should harden once cold, though the crunch won't be as impressive).

In any case, whether you're a sweet, savoury or low-cal type person, the topping possibilities are absolutely endless- chocolate, honey, melted butter, flavoured salt, Parmesan cheese, Tabasco sauce, garlic oil, chilli oil, curry powder/cumin/paprika/cinnamon/ rosemary/ every other herb and spice imaginable... some hardcore popcorn lovers even use lard or duck fat to pop the kernels for apparently unbeatable flavour!

Making the Popcorn-A Step by Step Guide

1) Heat 2 tbsp oil and bit of salt on medium-high heat in a large heavy-based pot or saucepan. Add a few popping corn kernels and put the lid on. Wait until they pop.

2) Add 100g kernels, ensuring they are spread in a single even layer. Don't be tempted to add more- it looks like very little but turns into a huge amount once popped! Cover, take the pan off the heat and wait for about half a minute (this is to make sure all the kernels can heat up evenly without getting burnt).

3)Return the pan to heat- when the brisk popping starts, shake the pan back and forth so all the kernels get popped. Keep the pan covered but with a slight gap so steam can escape (prevents sogginess).

4)Remove quickly from heat once the popping dies down, pour into a large bowl and stir in topping of choice (or if making the baked version below, pour into a large lined baking tray and keep warm in the preheating oven (120 C) while making butter caramel topping).

Butter Caramel Topping

Combine and bring to a boil:

100g condensed milk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp butter

Lower the heat and simmer about 5 minutes or until golden, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Be careful as hot boiling caramel can cause a nasty burn.

Remove from heat and quickly stir in about 1/8 tsp baking soda (the mixture will foam up). Pour over warm popcorn in the tray and toss quickly with two spoons to coat evenly.

Bake for 30-40 mins at 120 C, tossing occassionally to prevent sticking together. Once out of the oven, break apart with spoons/your hands and leave to cool.

Put on a movie and enjoy! :)

*Washing up tip- to get rid of hardened caramel on your pans, soak in or run under boiling water and then give it a good scrub with soap while hot. It should all melt off quite easily.

*Easier but more time consuming caramel tip- apparently you can just submerge an unopened tin of condensed milk in water and boil for 4 hours, and it will turn into a good golden caramel. I have not tried this myself, but if you do make sure to be very careful- keep topping up the water, never let the pan boil dry (or your tin will explode!) and let the can cool completely before opening.

Adobong Manok/ Chicken Adobo (Filipino Vinegar & Garlic Stew)

I first tried this utterly delectable dish when it was home-cooked by my beautiful Filipino friends in the King & I cast, and since then I have been addicted. Vinegar. Sour punchy flavourful vinegar. Who knew it was so lip-smackingly life-changing?

Adobo is the national dish of the Philippines and rightly so- salty, tangy, garlicky and succulent, it is testament to the fact that if there's one thing Asians know how to do right, it's food.

Typically it is made with pork, chicken or a combination of both, and the process could not be easier- throw everything into a pot and stew. The recipe below is a pretty basic traditional version, although I've been told there are all sorts of variations including adding coconut milk, hard boiled eggs, vegetables or even pineapple and liver pate!

Adobong Manok/ Chicken Adobo *Serves 3-4*

(If desired, combine all ingredients and marinate overnight before cooking to improve flavour. The dish also keeps well and can be made a few days in advance)

Saute lightly until fragrant:5 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or more, up to a whole head if desired)1 onion, sliced into strips

Add and fry briefly until browned:

8 large chicken thighs/drumsticks, or 1 kg chicken cut into pieces

(for a different variation use half chicken half pork, cut into cubes)

Add, cover and simmer 30 minutes (longer for pork) until sauce is thickened:

1/2 to 1 cup vinegar of choice (put more or less depending on how tart you want it. I've tried white, malt, cider and rice vinegar, all other kinds should work too).
1/3 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup water
1 tsp black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

*Some insist it is important not to stir at ALL whilst it simmers- I haven't been able to resist but if you can, try it and let me know if it makes a difference!*

I never bother with this, but if desired remove meat once cooked and fry briefly in a separate pan to crisp skins (but watch out for oil splatter).

Serve with hot rice and lots of gravy.

Malaysian Pandan Chiffon Cake

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*14 June 2010- The original recipe below contained 100ml of oil- I have since amended that to only 50ml as I've found it produces a lighter, fluffier sponge. If you prefer an even drier and less moist cake, try omitting one yolk or reducing the amount of sugar slightly.

Coconut milk and pandan (screwpine leaves) essence make this a light, spongey and deliciously aromatic Malaysian classic. The secret to its characteristic fluffy yet moist texture comes from whipping the egg whites very well and inverting the pan immediately onto its three "legs" once removed from the oven, so the sponge can stretch and retain its airy volume whilst cooling upside down. Don't worry, the cake will stick and not fall out :)

I use pandan paste (a mix of essence and green colouring) which is easily available in any Asian shop- if you can be bothered, feel free to blend fresh pandan leaves with water and extract the natural juice.

You MUST use a chiffon/angel food cake tube pan (pictured below) and not a regular tin- the hollow tube in the centre is essential for the correct circulation of heat.

Malaysian Pandan Chiffon Cake

* fits a 10" or 22cm pan or larger*

Whisk together until thick in a large bowl:

6 egg yolks

170g sugar

Stir in until evenly green:

50ml vegetable oil

50ml thick coconut cream (or use 100ml thinner coconut milk and omit the 50ml water used to dilute the pandan paste below)

1 tsp pandan paste, diluted in 50 ml water (or 50 ml pandan juice)

Sift into the pandan mixture and fold until well-mixed:

190g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Using a separate bowl and electric whisk that are completely dry, clean and grease-free, beat the following on maximum speed for a good 5-8 minutes until a thick white meringue is formed:

6 egg whites (there must be no traces of yolk)

90g sugar

Few drops lemon juice

How the meringue mixture should look after beating- stiff enough to leave trails

on your whisk and form soft peaks

Fold two tablespoons of the meringue into the pandan batter. Add the rest and fold thoroughly until well-combined. Pour into a dry ungreased chiffon pan and bake at 180 C (160 C fan-assisted) for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and invert immediately (if your pan comes without the protuding tabs to support it upside down, invert the pan and insert the neck of a bottle or a metal funnel into the inner tube to balance). Leave to cool in this position and do not unmould cake until completely cold.

To remove, scrape all around the sides with a thin spatula and let the cake slip out gently of the pan. Scrape the bottom to remove the base/tube.

*To make sure it has a completely flat surface to sit on, I cheat and cut the tops off my cakes if they are rounded before unmoulding :)*

Slice and enjoy!

Addie's Thai Cafe

July 2010- Unfortunately our 2nd visit recently left a far less favourable impression than the review below. Portions seemed to have shrunk, a flustered waiter who barely understood English was completely unhelpful, my Malaysian friend was thoroughly unimpressed with the lack of heat and spice in the Tom Yam and the annoying lady that nagged us the first time round was even worse, rushing us through our entire meal and reminding us constantly how we needed to eat fast and leave. Having now discovered the far cheaper and mindblowingly delicious Fitou's Cafe (formerly known as Number One Cafe) at 1 Dalgarno Gardens near White City, Addie's Thai has officially been struck off our list.

Addie's Thai Cafe 30 July 2009

121 Earl's Court Road

London SW5 9RL

Tel: 0207 259 2620

Website: www.addiesthai.co.uk

Thank goodness a friend finally brought me here- Addie's is the bomb! I have heard many including those of Thai origin singing its praises as the best Thai restaurant in London for authentic street hawker food, and based on my first visit alone I am already inclined to agree.

Everything you need to know about the place is on its ultra-informative website, from a picture-by-picture description of each dish on the menu right down to Chef Addie's career history. So I will skip the waffling and get straight to my lowdown on the sumptuous lunch we had.

A warm and cosy interior with brisk, efficient service- the only niggle we had was a slightly off-putting waitress who gave us an unnecessarily long lecture when we asked for small bowls to share our noodles! Apparently if it were her in a Thai stall she would never want to eat someone else's dish nor have someone eat hers.

To avoid further nagging we said fine and shared by passing our bowls round and taking turns trying each other's orders instead- next time miss, spare us the blah-blah and just bring the crockery please.

Pad Thai (£6.50)- Tangy, punchy, flavoursome and beautifully presented under an omelette web. Such a well-executed classic, a far cry from the stodgy tasteless mounds of noodles many other restaurants try to pass off under this name.

Yen Ta Fore (£8.50)-I have never had pink soup, but if all pink soups tasted like this I'd happily slurp up!

The weird hue is due to fermented red bean paste, the same ingredient which gives it its appetising salty tang. I chose thin rice noodles which were cooked just right, and was particularly impressed with the generous load of toppings- big juicy king prawns, squid, gorgeously textured crunchy jelly fish, fish balls, thick slices of fish cake, fried tofu chunks, crispy beancurd skin and morning glory/water convolvulus (kangkung to Malaysians). Yum yum yum.

Tom Yam Moo Sub (£6.95)- Another delicious slurper, though less garish in appearance and a tad lighter on the palate. Clear noodle soup with a spicy bite reminiscent of Vietnamese pho, topped with minced pork, ground peanuts, beansprouts and a sprinkling of dried chilli.

Kho Moo Yang (£7.50)- The 'oohs', 'aahs' and 'mms' abound- definitely our all-round favourite dish of the meal. The humble menu description of "grilled neck end pork" just does not do this divine dish justice, with its heap of moist succulent slices and sublime dipping sauce. Taste-wise it's sweet and sticky with a charred smokiness, sort of like a cross between the ubiquitous char siew (barbecued pork) and bak kwa (dried Chinese smoked jerky). Only more luscious.

Som Tam (£6.95)- I truly believe my mother's adoration of this Thai papaya salad is one of the main reasons she likes visiting my aunt in Bangkok so much. No doubt she would rave about Addie's version- robust, punchy and very very spicy. I'd recommend telling them to hold back on the chillies if heat is not your thing :) Aside from strips of raw papaya, long beans and tomatoes, you get four options to go with the salad including raw prawns and the aforementioned "grilled neck end pork"-we chose a combination of dried shrimp and salted crab which worked deliciously.

Green pandan pancake with Thai custard filling & vanilla ice cream (£3.50)

Steamed sticky rice with banana stuffing & vanilla ice cream (£3.50)

After being blown away by the mains and sides, I suppose it is inevitable that we found the desserts slightly lacklustre in comparison. They were both tasty and did exactly what they say on the tin, but one feels the menu could have done with a wider selection to include Thai classics like the cold "Red Rubies" dessert Tub Thim Krob (sweet water chestnuts with tapioca, coconut milk, shaved ice and syrup), or options such as mango to go with the steamed sticky rice (at the moment banana and yam are the two choices).

However, I am only being nitpicky- most restaurants don't go beyond complimentary orange slices and textbook banana fritters so Addie's deserves credit for at least offering some traditional sweetmeats to end the meal.

As a whole, wowzers. The entire meal really hit the spot and a repeat visit is most definitely in order- I can smell the Kho Moo Yang already!

Savoury Cheddar & Herb Muffins

Soft, cheesy, fragrant and delicious served warm. Feel free to chop and change with any other optional ingredients listed below :)

*Makes 12 muffins

Combine in a large bowl:

360g plain flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp dried herbs (or finely chopped fresh chives/dill/herb of choice)

Pinch of salt

250g grated cheddar

Combine and add to flour mix slowly until a stiff batter is formed:

250ml milk

1 egg

50g melted butter

Stir in if desired: fried onions, minced garlic, crispy bacon bits, smoked ham, olives, sundried tomatoes, baby spinach leaves, roasted peppers, chopped jalapenos/other chillies, fried button mushrooms etc.

Dollop equally between 12 lined muffin cups. Bake at 170 C for 35 mins until golden brown.

Best enjoyed warm (you can reheat cold muffins by microwaving for about 10-15 seconds).

Frozen Bananas- Natural Ice Cream

Overripe bananas: probably one of mankind's most common problems. I love banana bread/cakes/muffins but there is only so much of baked banana I can take, so thank you Mum for this easiest and most amazing of tips!

Peel, slice and freeze overripe bananas, then leave at room temperature for a few minutes or briefly microwave for 5-10 seconds. Result: the healthiest, creamiest, naturally sweet and delicious banana ice cream you could possibly imagine. Try it, I kid you not!

Brick Lane Beigel Bake- Hot Salt Beef Beigel

Brick Lane Beigel Bake
159 Brick Lane

London E1 6SB

Phone: Hmm. 0171 729 0616 on the sign, 0207 729 0616 on the card. Tell me which works!

FINALLY got to try this after living in London for 5 years!

First of all, some necessary beigel/bagel clarification so you get your expectations right. What's on sale here is NOT a New York bagel- moist, malty and generally large, puffy and doughy- nor is it a Montreal version- sweet, thin with a large hole, crunchy and usually topped with seeds. Beigel Bake produces daily on-site the traditional London-style beigel- chewy, dense and tasty, with a coarser air-bubbled texture and a slightly harder bite.

3 ingredients is all- aforementioned beigel, lots of mustard (a bit too much in fact, I'll ask them to be less generous in future for the sake of my nasal passages) and a toppling stack of hot salt beef. But Oh My Heavens. The BEEF!

I present to you, huge succulent hulks of ultra moist melt-in-your-mouth perfectly fatty-but-not-greasy deliciously tender mouthwateringly salty juicy mmm mmm yum ooooh woah...

All for £3.30. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in this little kosher East End institution. So good I have crazy Malaysian friends who buy slabs of the meat by the kilo to take home!

70p slab of cheesecake (sorry I took a bit before I remembered to photograph it)- yum!

The smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel is excellent too. Maybe next time- tonight it's all about the BEEF.

Easy Peasy Chunky Guacamole

I like my guacamole simple and unadulterated with just a bit of zing- feel free to add or remove anything to suit your taste and increase the recipe as needed.

Serves one

Mash together roughly:

1 ripe avocado (if you are an avocado virgin, please see "Easy Twisty Way of Cutting an Avocado" below)

Good squeeze of lime juice (I used about 1/4 of a lime)

Few sprigs of coriander, finely chopped

Salt to taste

Serve immediately as a dip, topping or spread on anything and everything imaginable.

Other options: a bit of finely chopped jalapeño, serrano or any fresh hot chilli, minced garlic, chopped onion, diced tomatoes, ground cumin, chilli powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, sour cream, even cottage cheese...

Easy Twisty Way of Cutting An Avocado

Cut lengthwise all the way around (working around the seed) and twist the two halves apart.

Tap the blade of your knife so that it's wedged into the seed, and twist to remove.

Spoon the flesh out with a spoon.

Crunchy Crumb Banana Muffins

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Banana muffins with a difference. Thrown together by hand in a matter of minutes, this is one of my favourite ways to turn overripe fruit into a moist, cinnamon-y treat.

*Makes 8 very large or 12 medium muffins*

Sift together in a large bowl:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Dash of mixed spice/cinnamon

Combine in a separate bowl and then fold into flour mix until just moistened:

3 large very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup sugar (white or brown both work)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup melted butter/oil

Dash of vanilla extract

Optional: stir in some chopped pecans/walnuts if desired.

Line muffin pan with paper cases and spoon batter in until 2/3 full.

Cinnamon Crumb Topping

Mix together:

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Cut in 1 tbsp butter using a two butter knives or a fork until the mix resembles a coarse, crumbly cornmeal. Sprinkle generously over muffins before baking.

Bake at 190C for 20-30 minutes until golden brown/skewer comes out clean.

The Recession Takes Its Toll :(

Modified 12 July 2009- Have been told that both Kam Tong and Kiasu have reopened! :)

Modified Tues 19 May 2009- Just discovered Kam Tong on Queensway has also closed down, joining the list of casualties below! Never eaten there myself, but I've been told by friends who used to be fans that the quality has been dropping significantly over the years so that may be part of the reason. Sigh... wonder who's next.

Original post 5 May 2009:

They are dropping like flies.

Last night a friend told me that Kiasu on Queensway, one of my favourite Malaysian restaurants and Time Out Cheap Eats 2007 winner, had closed down. We were in the area for dinner and walked past it on the way back; sure enough there it was, dark and boarded up, the latest casualty in the economic crisis :(

Just last week Arivind and I had tubed to Chinatown excitedly for dimsum at our favourite 40% discount joint Chinese Experience, only to discover it was emptied out and shuttered, with a sign plastered on saying "non-payment of rent".

I can't believe it. Two great restaurants, one of them award-winning, always packed to the brim with customers, serving great food at cheap prices, once doing bustling business but now, just like that, wiped out of existence.

Guess the recession doesn't discriminate when choosing its victims.

Creamy Mash with Sauteed Bacon & Onions

I always buy potatoes in huge bags because they're cheaper that way, but more often than not I end up with a lot of leftover sprouting ones and suddenly need to find a use for them straightaway. For the record, there is nothing wrong with a sprouting potato as long as you remove the sprouts and eyes thoroughly- I've eaten them for years and have yet to be poisoned:)

Surprisingly, and this has never happened before, today I discovered a sprouting onion too-one random large brown one in the store-bought bag had a bunch of tall green shoots growing out of its top! They looked and smelt like spring onions so I did some Googling and found out that you could indeed use them as such. The new things you learn everyday hey? :)

So there you have it, two perfectly safe-to-eat sprouting vegetables that combined to result in a delicious version of a classic comforting British dish.

Creamy Mash with Sauteed Bacon & Onions

Serves 3-4 as a side

The Mash:

Wash and roughly peel 6 medium white potatoes (I love to leave bits of skin on for a rustic bite). Cut into chunks, boil until tender and drain.

Heat 100ml double cream and 50g butter briefly in a microwave for about 30 seconds until butter is melted and cream is warm (or you can do it in a pan over the stove if you prefer). Add to the cooked potatoes and mash until creamy.

Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Bacon and Onion Topping:

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small skillet. Add and saute over high heat until charred:

1 or 2 stalks spring onions (scallions), finely chopped

1 medium onion, sliced into strips

Some bacon, cut into bits

Spoon generously over mash. Serve immediately.

Thai Green Chicken Curry

Fresh coriander, lemongrass, spring onions, chillies, garlic, shrimp paste (belacan)... chuck together and blitz for an incomparably punchy and aromatic paste that characterises the gorgeous spicy flavours of Asian cuisine, and then cook with chicken and coconut milk for a beautiful rich Thai green curry. Perfect served hot with Thai Pineapple Fried Rice and Seafood Kerabu.

Blend until smooth:

6 small fresh birdseye chillies

2 cloves garlic

3 stalks spring onions

2 stalks lemongrass, chopped

Generous handful fresh coriander

2 tbsp oil

2 tbsp water

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp shrimp paste (belacan-sold in tubs/blocks, a dark brown dry substance which you'll find very stinky if you are not familiar with it, but crucial for the correct flavour)

To Cook:

Dry fry the paste on high heat without oil until fragrant.

Add 1 kg chicken pieces- I like to use thighs and drumsticks. Stir until covered in paste, then lower heat, cover and simmer for about 30-40 mins or until cooked. Add a bit of water if necessary.

Add 200g long green beans, chopped. Cook a further 5-10 mins.

Stir in 1 cup (250ml) coconut cream quickly until sauce thickens and turn off heat. Do not overheat as curry will become too oily.

Serve immediately.