June 2026 favourites list

Welcome to this month’s favourites list. Last month I was posting in the middle of a heatwave, and the same is happening this month! I had a ropey nights sleep last night, so if any typos creep in, be forgiving!

This month’s photos are from a Japanese Afternoon Tea at the Sanctum Hotel, London. Tucked in a backstreet in Soho, the Sanctum Hotel looks like a cool place to base yourself in Central London. But of course I wasn’t staying in the hotel, so I headed over to the Wild Heart restaurant at Sanctum (accompanied by Him Indoors, of course). Run by three-time Michelin star awarded Chef Garry Hollihead, the restaurant has a classic rock theme, with memorabilia and a wide collection of rock and music books on display. Hardly surprising, since when I entered the hotel reception area I was greeted by a painting of Jimi Hendrix, and a stained glass artwork of many Hendrixes. If you know me, you will know I love Jimi Hendrix, so I arrived with a smile on my face. 

Stained glass art with lots of Jimi Hendrixes

 

The afternoon tea displaces the usual sandwiches with gyozas, sliders, aubergine, pickles, and tataki, all in cute little portions. We enjoyed these with a glass of prosecco. The different flavours and textures made this part of the tea experience highly enjoyable. Next up were the desserts, headed up in afternoon tea tradition with a scone. I am not litigating the endless “debate” on cream first or jam. That has been done to death. The homemade raspberry jam and the rich clotted cream complemented the raisin scone beautifully. There is a knack to making a good scone, despite the apparent simplicity of the ingredients and method, which was demonstrated here. Then onto the mochi, panna cotta, and the tiny pies (pecan and chocolate and caramel) – wonderful little sweet indulgences, enjoyed with a green tea. I arrived as I left, with a smile on my face.

[We paid for our afternoon tea with prosecco, and we note there is now a Japanese afternoon tea experience with a flight of cocktails which can be enjoyed either in the restaurant or on the rooftop.]

But now, onto my collection of food inspiration, recipes, and kitchen tips. Enjoy!

 

Japanese style afternoon tea

Food articles

Kavey has been looking forward to food author Mandy Yin’s latest cookbook “Simply Malaysian: Everyday Dishes to Cook at Home” after loving her first cookbook, Sambal Shiok. Her review, as ever, takes in cooking from the recipes, checking the structure and layout, and looking at overall usefulness: https://www.kaveyeats.com/simply-malaysian-mandy-yin

On the Malaysian food theme, Chef Julie Lin shares the food items she always brings back from a trip to Malaysia: https://www.cntraveller.com/article/ive-been-a-chef-for-more-than-10-years-these-are-the-things-i-cant-live-without-when-i-come-back-from-malaysia

May, the seasoned traveller and passionate foodie, is the go-to person for advice on food and travel. Here she provides an invaluable guide for the foodie traveller in 2026: https://www.eatcookexplore.com/the-essential-digital-toolkit-for-the-gastronomy-traveller/

How to improve your mood through what you eat, with consideration of the research: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/health/wellness/mood-diet-plan

The best instant noodles available in the UK: https://www.standard.co.uk/shopping/esbest/food-drink/all-food/best-instant-noodles-buy-uk-b1278067.html

The desserts

 

Kitchen tips

12 top cooks (including Michelin starred chefs, chefs and food writers) share the best kitchen tip they've ever been given: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/news-trends/best-kitchen-tip

Andi Oliver, host of the BBC’s Great British Menu, and former musician, shares how she finds the best food on her holidays: https://metro.co.uk/2026/06/14/andi-oliver-i-always-find-best-food-holiday-asking-one-question-28740195/

Going out in London

The 15 Chinese restaurants in London serving up the best noodles: https://dailydish.co.uk/15-chinese-restaurants-in-london-serving-the-best-noodles/

Where to get the best Dosa (lentil flour pancakes) in London: https://www.standard.co.uk/going-out/restaurants/best-dosa-in-london-tamil-cuisine-b1278138.html

I am not arguing about jam and cream, OK?

 

Recipes

Laura Goodman’s recipe for date butter: https://observer.co.uk/style/food/article/your-buns-deserve-this-date-butter

Archived here: https://archive.ph/ozrGi

Scone with raspberry jam and clotted cream

 

Georgina Hayden shares three lesser-known Greek and Cypriot dishes for summer cooking and eating; Pappa al ratatouille, one-pan moussaka, and churros Dutch baby from her new book MEDesque: https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/food-and-drink/recipes/georgina-hayden-greek-cypriot-recipes-summer-b2971223.html

Archived here: https://archive.ph/qcyLu

Joo Won is chef/co-owner of London’s Calong restaurant shares two Korean vegetable recipes; Asparagus and courgette pajeon (Korean pancake) with soy-vinegar dip and Green vegetable and vermicelli japchae: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/jun/23/pajeon-japchae-recipes-korean-style-vegetarian-starters-joo-won

Replica Dalek at the Sanctum Hotel

 

Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe for rice salad with nuts and sour cherries from his cookbook More: https://www.seriouseats.com/rice-salad-with-nuts-and-sour-cherries-from-plenty-more  

Romy Gill’s recipe for Thoran (a South Indian cooked salad style dish) and Indian style chaat, both with asparagus: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/may/06/thoran-and-chaat-indian-style-asparagus-recipes-romy-gill

The menu

 

Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations.

May 2026 favourites list

Welcome to my favourites list for May! 

 

I am writing this at the tail end of a heatwave here in the UK. We have not been coping well with the heat. We have been simultaneously boiling and frying, we have been failing to sleep. We spend all year looking forward to the “better weather” and then when we get some sunny days, complain. Of course, I am not alone in this, and it may well be true that I spent much of the long weekend at the end of this month trying to keep cool in minimum levels of clothing/decency.

This month’s pictures are from a very lovely, relaxed, and delicious dinner I had at one of my favourite restaurants in all of London, the very excellent Babur in Brockley, south east London. Their “Taste of Babur” five course menu was £59.95 for food only (and with matching wine was £90.95). It was my birthday, so I opted for the menu with wine pairings. No regrets, it was a special day! (Him Indoors paid for our meal in full). 

Swordfish tikka and Kasundi king prawn

 

I have written about Babur twice on this blog. My first in depth review can be found here: https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2013/09/babur-honor-oak-indian-restaurant-south.html. My second, as their guest, focussing on their Indian Muslim food menu is here: https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2013/11/baburs-indian-muslim-cooking-menu.html. (Babur run frequent themed menus which are worth checking out!).

I hope you will enjoy my photos and selections for this month, and if you are struggling in the heat, you have my sympathies. 

Food articles and writing

This is a highly thought provoking read: is Italian food (as we know it) really about recipes passed down through many, many generations, or is it more recent, and actually shaped by the waves of Italian migration of the last 100 years? https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/15/myth-traditional-italian-cuisine-food

 

Tulsi malai chicken tikka

Kavey reviews Ed Smith’s latest cookbook Peckish: An Inspirational Collection of Winning Chicken Dinners, which explores contemporary chicken farming, the different cuts of chicken, cooking whole chickens, recipes, butchery and preparation techniques, plus how to make stocks and deal with leftovers. As ever Kavey tests the recipes as well as casting her careful eye over the book as a reading experience. https://www.kaveyeats.com/peckish-cookbook-ed-smith

Some food and medication clashes are well known by the public, such as grapefruit and statins and angina medication. However, ginger, turmeric and cinnamon are also in danger of interfering with medication including anti-coagulants, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, chemotherapy drugs and certain antibiotics. If you are on any of these, read the article in full, don’t just read my summary: https://theconversation.com/why-eating-too-much-ginger-turmeric-or-cinnamon-could-interfere-with-your-prescription-medication-255527

 

Goat shoulder tikka

There has been comment in MAGA/MAHA quarters that seed oils are bad for you. While a heated extraction process can result in small amounts of hexane remaining in the oil, this can be avoided by buying cold pressed. Here are 14 facts about cooking oils to help sort the fact from the fiction. https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/apr/26/the-truth-about-cooking-oils-14-essential-facts-for-healthier-cheaper-meals  

Masterchef winner Chef Tim Anderson has immersed himself in the food and cooking of Japan. In this helpful article, he suggests that five Japanese ingredients can transform the way you cook: https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/food-and-drink/recipes/japanese-ingredients-recipes-masterchef-winner-tim-anderson-new-cookbook-b2962415.html

Slow cooked mutton in clay pot with rice

Xueci, a Berlin based food writer with Sichuanese heritage provides a deep dive into Shaoxing rice wine, explaining the manufacture and many culinary uses of this hero ingredient: https://chillcrispbyxueci.substack.com/p/deep-dive-shaoxing-wine

Supermarket sausages taste tested in time for BBQ season, with surprising results, especially for a very popular brand name: https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/food-drink/i-compared-five-supermarket-sausages-37081518

Chicken Chettinad with rice flour pancake

Recipes

Steph and Chris' Chinese cooking videos are full of so much inspiration. Here, very simply cooked fish is served with either hot and spicy or herby and hot dipping sauce. https://youtu.be/qUFFFT_379Y?si=024_ME-8kwUiDO5j

Here is their recipe in written form if you don’t want to cook from a video, Xinping dipping sauce tilapia: https://chinesecookingdemystified.substack.com/p/dipping-sauce-tilapia

Spiced apricot and fig crumble

Georgia Hayden recipe https://theweek.com/culture-life/food-drink/spring-meatballs-pasta-and-peas

Mieke, a Dutch-Indonesian food writer, whose Dorothy Porker site is one I enjoy a quiet moment perusing, shares how to make your own Chai Latte, so you don’t have to go to Starbucks. https://www.dorothy-porker.com/avoid-starbucks-make-your-own-chai-latte/#recipe

What you might have missed at Snig’s Kitchen

I was asked recently about how to sprout lentils, having posted a photo of a chaat dish I had made (a variant of a chana chaat) online. Here is my guide on sprouting seeds which works not only with lentils and other pulses, but with some spices, herbs and vegetables. https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2026/05/snigs-guide-to-sprouting-seeds.html

A Taste of Babur menu

 Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations.

Snig’s guide to sprouting seeds

Sprouting seeds are an ingredient I use for a number of purposes. From topping dishes with microherbs, providing crunch in salads, to my favourite use: chaat. The Indian tradition of crunchy, spicy, herby, saucy light meals and snacks are a great way of getting veggies into your diet, and sprouting seeds and pulses are a key chaat ingredient. I recently shared a photo of a chick pea chaat with sprouted moth beans and sprouted mung beans, which led to someone asking how to sprout lentils. This post attempts to answer that request. 

A bowl of chana chaat with sprouted lentils

 

I eat sprouted seeds because I enjoy the taste and crunch they provide. I hope when you give this a try, you’ll feel the same. But there are health benefits from eating sprouted seeds. As part of the germination process, the seeds release the goodness stored inside, for the young plant to use, and it is the enzymes released which makes the carbohydrate and protein stored in the seed easier for us to digest. It is also thought that sprouted seeds are good for your gut biome.

I have personally tried sprouting the following lentils/pulses; Mung beans, Green lentils (the big green ones), Puy lentils (the little French slightly blue ones), Brown lentils, Moth beans (or matki beans, native to India), Chick peas (regular and kala chana, the black chick peas) and Aduki beans (although the red skin colour leaches out). These were all easy to sprout, but each takes a different amount of time to germinate.

You could probably try any other pulse/lentil with a skin, with the exception of red kidney beans (because of the lectin in them, which can be poisonous), and I would also avoid white kidney beans and peanuts for the same reason. In South Korea the bean sprouts you often get served with your banchan are sprouted soy beans – these do have lectin in them so it would be best that if you sprout these, you cook your sprouts. You can also sprout dried peas (of any colour), although I have not tried this myself.

I have also sprouted special seed mixes for sprouting, which can be bought in health food shops or garden centres. There are special “microherb” varieties you can find. British mail order seed company Thompson and Morgan and German company A Vogel sell sprouting seeds available in the UK. One issue which can arise with mixes of seeds is that the different varieties germinate at different rates. If this happens, you should just accept that not all the sprouts will be at the same stage of growth and enjoy them as they are. That’s just nature!

Mixed sprouts - lentils and chick peas

 

Some vegetables are suited to sprouting, such as broccoli, beetroot and radish. I have sprouted kohl rabi, which came out very well with their colourful purple stems. I have not tried sprouting grains, which are meant to be rapid and particularly good for children as the germination process makes the sprout taste sweet. These grain sprouts can also be used for bread making, and might well be a fun avenue of sprouting to explore in the future. 

Red kohl rabi sprouts

 

If you have a fairly fresh packet of either black or yellow mustard seeds, these sprout into tasty, slightly fiery little microherb plants, which are great with salads. Alfalfa seeds are very small indeed, but these also grow into nice sprouts for salads or toppings for other dishes. I have been recommended growing fenugreek, which I will try when I buy a fresh pack of seeds for use in curry. You can also grow different salad leaf microgreens; rocket, lettuce, cabbage, kale. There is so much variety you can explore, and have fun with.

Mustard microherbs

 

When I sprout lentils, I don’t bother with any specialist products. I buy half kilo bags of lentils from the Indian or Turkish shop. Obviously they have to have to be whole lentils with the skins on. I keep them in a kitchen cupboard (in a cool, dark place) to ensure the seeds remain as viable as possible. Older packs, and packs which have been exposed to air and light will have lower germination rates, in my experience. If a packet gets too old, just cook them up as normal (whole lentils are great protein and fibre for salads), so you don’t need to feel guilty about buying the half kilo bags and not using them quickly.

I don’t bother sifting or checking my seeds for any stones etc, as contemporary packs of lentils don’t have the stones or twigs they did 30 years ago. Thank goodness! Usually you will need no more than 2-3 tablespoons of dried lentils per sprouting instance. As you will see, I sometimes do two varieties of sprout at the same time (in different containers).

I always rinse the lentils clean of dust and dirt. Then I soak them for 24 hours in plenty of water. If you have ever soaked chick peas and the like overnight for cooking, you will know they soak up lots of water, so you will need at very least triple the amount of water to lentils. I don’t mess about and ensure the lentils are in lots of water. This is because some of the skins do leak some of the colour as they soak, and I like to give them a stir from time to time so that all the lentils absorb water evenly.

I remove any skins, broken seeds and stuff after the soaking stage. This can be a bit fiddly, so I spread them on a plate and pick away. Any of the seeds which have gone soft should also be removed. You do not want the broken or soft seeds encouraging viable seeds to rot, and in a few days the broken and soft seeds will smell bad, which is best avoided.

I then rinse the seeds in clean running tap water. You are washing away any dead organic matter, providing clean water for your seeds, and the running water will have some oxygen to help with the germination. Drain in a colander (if the lentils are big) or with a sieve (if they are small like the moth beans). (If you start sprouting alfalfa and the small seeds double check the size of the holes in your sieve!)

If you are only sprouting lentils until they have a little root (or a little tail!), then you can just return them to the bowl or container you used for the soaking. The seeds need some space to grow, so spread them out a little, so they can get some air. All you then need to do is rinse them and drain them twice a day until the little tail is as long as you would like it. You probably will need between 2 to 4 days total for this process. It is these lentils with a root which I use for chaat dishes. You can grow a large batch and cook with them, you can make a chana masala style curry with sprouted lentils. (One tip is that if you are doing moth beans and mung beans, start the moth beans 24 hours before the mung beans and you will find they will be ready to harvest at the same time, which for me was 3 days this instance.)

Moth bean and mung bean sprouts

 

If you want to grow them so that you get the first leaves and a proper leaf sprout, then you might want to think about a sprouting container. [The scientific name for the little tail is the radicle. The leaf part is the plumule. Thank you double GCSE science!] All you need is a decent sized glass jar, and you can improvise with a piece of fabric and a rubber band. If you prefer, you can buy dedicated sprouting jars with a grille for drainage in either metal or plastic. I bought an A Vogel “Biosnacky” plastic and glass sprouting jar, which has been in use for many years. If you really want to grow sprouts in volume, check out their three storey clear plastic sprouter; this would be great for microherb salads and growing bean sprouts for stir fries, if you can spare the counter/windowsill space. Once again, spread the seeds out to allow them space to breathe and grow. 

Sprouting jar - soaking stage

Sprouting jar - harvest stage

 If you are growing to obtain a sprout, and especially with bean sprouts (mung beans), because this will take several days, you should not just rinse and drain the sprouts twice a day, but check that none have gone soft or started to rot. Remove any which are soft. 

Young bean sprouts (mung bean sprouts)

 

While you are growing your sprouts, try to make sure they do not dry out completely. You want them damp, but not wet (to avoid rotting), and you do not want them to dry out or the root will not grow. A few drops of water or a light spray of clean water will help. 

Green lentil sprouts with plumule

 

When your sprouts are ready, give them one final rinse and drain. Tasting to check them is not a bad idea; as the leaves grow, the flavour of the sprouts will become stronger. You might see some little hairs, and if they are the same colour as the root and they disappear when you rinse, these are most likely root hairs. Mould is unlikely unless your seeds were old, or  the conditions were warm, humid or dark. (I don’t sprout my seeds in the dark as they are more likely to rot.) Pick out any ungerminated seeds and anything which has gone soft, or not developed properly. Try to dry off by placing on clean tea towels. You can then box them up, and put them in the fridge. Provided the fridge is cool and dry, the sprouts should last a week. Enjoy your sprouts!

Before growing you next batch of sprouts, make sure you have cleaned your sprouting jar or other equipment thoroughly, as there may have been bacteria which have grown alongside your seeds and you don’t want to transfer them to your new batch.

April 2026 favourites list

Hello and welcome to my April favourites list! Spring is finally here. The clocks in the UK have changed, and as the seasonal flowers bloom and green shoots and new leaves appear everywhere, and cliché as it might be, I do have a spring in my step. Putting away my coat, scarf and gloves has brought me a delightfully good feeling. Once it is washed, I will equally gain joy from packing away the winter compatibility duvet, replacing it with the light summer quilt of minimal toggage. 

My photos this month are from a recent visit to Biang Biang X’ian Noodles in London Bridge. My thanks go to my Bluesky friend, barrister and mediator Jacob Gifford-Head for posting photos of the delectable “belt” style Shaanxi noodles a couple of months ago. He gave me the idea of trying these famous hand made noodles after posting a photo on social media. Commenting that he didn’t need to go to Whitechapel any more, Jacob also remarked on the “famously complex character” for biang biang noodles. Looking into it, the traditional Chinese symbol has 58 strokes! (If you are interested, there is a lot of explanation in the Wikipedia entry for Biang Biang noodles, to be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biangbiang_noodles)

We treated ourselves to the house dumplings, the signature pork dumpling in mild special spicy sauce, Xinjiang big plate chicken (on the bone) with hand pulled noodle, and hand pulled Biang Biang noodle with beef in special sauce. With a beer and a glass of wine, lunch came in at £53.27 (including service). Eagle eyed readers will notice that there was a plate of dumplings I forgot to photograph, such was my eagerness to get stuck in. There isn’t a dumpling I have met that I didn’t love.

The noodles, despite being made of just flour, water and salt, have both “bite” and chewiness because of the long and labour intensive process of making them. We did our best not to cut up the noodles, as noodles symbolise long life, but it was difficult to eat the meaty accompaniment with the noodle without a little trimming. We enjoyed the Xinjiang chicken, but preferred the beef (which we thought went better with the taste and texture of the noodle).

The London Bridge/Borough area is a well known foodie hot spot, and there are many, many options for both lunch and dinner. Biang Biang X’ian Noodles is a good option for a lunch which isn’t so expensive you need to think twice. Affordability in London is increasingly becoming an issue, not helped by the current cost of living, a problem which applies to diners and restauranteurs alike.

I hope you will enjoy this month’s selections and the food pics.

Food articles and writing

I always enjoy reading Kavey’s travel writing at her Kavey Eats blog, and this “postcard” from Obuse in Japan is no exception. Big love here for Katsushika Hokusai, the iconic woodblock print artist, and the gorgeous photos. https://www.kaveyeats.com/postcard-obuse-japan

Mexico City is a supersized city with bewildering choice foodwise. Chef Santiago Muñoz Moctezuma chooses his favourite taco places, market stalls and cocktail bars  to help you make your travel plans: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/where-to-eat-in-mexico-city-according-to-a-local-chef

Matcha green tea is having a moment. I am rather partial to a matcha latte or matcha cakes. Knowing that the green stuff is doing me good is a massive plus! https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/health/health-benefits-of-matcha

Daddies, or HP, a good sweet, tangy brown sauce makes bacon bounce and sausages sing. I can’t do without it in a bacon or sausage butty. Here is a brief history of the condiment with British heart and a more “exotic” soul. https://www.countrylife.co.uk/lifestyle/food-drink/a-very-brief-history-of-brown-sauce

From BBQ burgers and sausages, to salads, dips and picnic treats, BBC Good Food magazine has selected the best supermarket products for Summer 2026 for flavour and quality: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/summer-taste-awards

Do you like salady salads or salads with just a little bit of everything? The “maximalist salad” might just be for you – the salad that is like a cheeseburger, or fried chicken bucket, these are “Salads that aren’t here to keep you small, but to satisfy. To delight. To hand you back your appetite without apology. They straddle the line between indulgence and wellness, pleasure and penance.” https://www.salon.com/2025/05/19/in-praise-of-the-maximalist-salad

 

Recipes

We might be a nation of cod and chips lovers, but as the fish becomes less sustainable and consistently overfished, Nathan Outlaw wants us to look for greener varieties of fish. Here are his recommendations, with recipes: https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/food-and-drink/recipes/best-alternative-to-cod-nathan-outlaw-fish-recipes-b2958147.html

I am beginning to start thinking about salads and leaving behind soups. But before getting into the delicate leafy salads, I want to have some comforting and hearty salads. In her excellent series of recipe explorations, Felicity Cloake tests and develops the perfect potato salad. https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/may/11/how-to-make-potato-salad-recipe-felicity-cloake

While I am leaving behind soups, I am not yet ready to give up on stews (am I ever?). This chicken and white bean stew from Jose Pizarro is full of the flavours of Spain. I remember eating those shrivelled little potatoes with Mojo Verde in the Canary Islands, salty, herby, delicious.  https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/mar/17/chicken-and-white-bean-stew-recipe-mojo-verde-jose-pizarro

ICYMI

The Times this weekend has decided to bring back what I call “food poverty trolling”. This is where people claim that it is very easy to feed a family cheaply, with the implication that those who cannot are either profligate, or wasteful, and that there is no need for food banks to exist or welfare benefits to be increased. This time, the claim that it is easy to feed a family of 4 on £50 per week. I saw lots of this on Twitter/X and wrote something about it. So, ICYMI (in case you missed it), here it is: https://mediadiversified.org/2022/05/31/bad-enough-mps-are-gaslighting-us-about-food-poverty-will-the-trolls-please-just-stop/

Film

“Shhh!” is what you normally expect to hear from a librarian in your local library. However, in these troubled and troubling times, it is librarians who are safeguarding freedom of expression and free speech. This documentary from 2025 shows how America’s librarians have been protecting the availability of books, often at huge personal cost.

Available on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002kkmj/storyville-the-librarians (also available on PBS).

Music/Books

Celebrating 40 years of success, national treasures Pet Shop Boys have put together a career spanning photo retrospective. They shared some highlights with The Mirror. Relive your favourite Neil and Chris moments and looks here:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/gallery/pet-shop-boys-40-years-36933616

Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations.

March 2026 favourites list

Hello my brilliant readers! Welcome to this month’s favourites list, when we are really beginning to feel the literal spring in our step as the leaves are regrowing on the trees and the spring flowers are blooming.

This month’s pictures are from taking my Mum out for Mother’s day for some Thai food. She always enjoys the chillis and punchy flavours. We had a colourful, cracking lunch, with flowing conversation and laughs. 

 

I hope you enjoy this month’s selections, and that you find something here to tickle your tastebuds.

Food articles and writing

The Observer’s guide to the best places to eat noodles in the UK, with contributions from Angela Hui, Nicola Miller, Andy Lynes and the Observer staff writers: https://archive.ph/sply7

Weighing in at 1.83kg, The Complete Illustrated Guide to Japanese Cooking: Techniques, Ingredients, Recipes by Sachiyo Harada is an encyclopaedic work devoted to Japanese food. Kavey has given this highly tempting potential purchase a test drive, putting the book through its paces. https://www.kaveyeats.com/complete-illustrated-guide-japanese-cooking-sachiyo-harada

Thai seafood salad

 

A heavily US focus, but nevertheless, some beautiful and fascinating  brand new cookbooks here: https://www.eater.com/books/949453/best-new-cookbooks-spring-2026

Issue 2 of Vittles’ print magazine on Bad Food was an amazing collection of thought provoking food writing. This, reviewing the moral panic about parents' and childrens' rebellion against a Rotherham school ban on "fast food" is on that theme.  https://www.vittlesmagazine.com/p/bad-people-bad-food-bad-place

The world’s favourite noodle dishes from the Observer food monthly noodle special issue: https://observer.co.uk/style/food/article/favourite-noodle-dishes-from-around-the-world

Thai aubergine salad with roasted rice

My Bluesky friend Chris Bulow shared this, and as he says, keep reading, because the practical suggestions further in are well worth reading – 12 “lazy” ways to eat more vegetables: https://www.salon.com/2026/02/18/lazy-ways-to-eat-more-vegetables/

Recipes

The 15^th March is also known as the infamous “Ides of March” which Julius Caesar was warned to beware. He didn’t and his fate was sealed. Here is a cocktail recipe for “Bloody Caesar”: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/mar/06/cocktail-of-the-week-chet-hoxton-bloody-caesar-recipe

Corn cheese is a Korean BBQ restaurant side dish many of us grew to love after visiting South Korea. Here is how to recreate it at home: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/party-ideas/a69811768/korean-corn-cheese-recipe/

Wolfgang Puck’s famous Chinese chicken salad from his restaurant: https://archive.ph/HBRmH

Tamarind prawns

 

Malaysian-born chef and MasterChef winner Ping Coombes explains how to cook rice and shares her recipe for Baked honey and soy chicken rice: https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/food-and-drink/recipes/how-to-cook-rice-ping-coombes-recipe-b2918132.html

Gennaro Contaldo shares his recipe for a Sicilian inspired pasta with anchovies and breadcrumbs for a quick supper or weekend lunch: https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/recipes/2026/0304/1561643-gennaros-pasta-with-anchovies-and-breadcrumbs/

Life Kitchen’s Ryan Riley shares his recipes for comfort, joy and healing: umami noodles, French (pickled) onion soup, Kimchi salmon with ginger greens, Cauliflower and potato coconut curry, Black olive, feta and honey twists, Sweet and sour apple crumble with sweet basil cream: https://archive.ph/dTGgL

Kitchen tips

Why Yorkshire puddings go wrong (and how to fix them): https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/cly8zlpyydlo

It is back to school time in Japan, as the new school year starts. Here are some beginners tips for packing children’s lunchtime bento boxes (which are useful for grown ups taking packed lunches to work, too!): https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2026/03/18/food-drink/back-to-school-kids-bento

Pan fried fish fillets can be the basis of speedy weekday dinners, but how can you get that restaurant style crispy skin? https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/mar/10/whats-the-secret-to-crisp-skinned-fish-kitchen-aide

What you might have missed

I had a wonderful trip to South Korea last year which included a visit to beautiful Jeju Island. Here I write about my visit to the Osulloc Tea “Museum” on the island. https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2026/03/osulloc-tea-museum-jeju-south-korea.html

Thai chicken stir fry

 

TV

Boarders, Season 3

This is the end of the school careers of our South East London fishes out of water at posh boarding school St Gilbert’s. They still have to deal with dreadful racist headteacher (who demands to be called “mistress”, a red flag if ever I heard of one!) along with all the other traumas of taking A levels. Will they make it through? Will they get to go to their chosen universities? I’m not giving you any spoilers.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m001wjyk/boarders?seriesId=m001wjyk-structural-3-m002spbr

 

Golden bags or golden parces

Film

I Swear

Robert Aramayo’s BAFTA winning performance as John Davidson, leading British campaigner for Tourette’s syndrome awareness is one compelling reason to watch this film. Davidson’s story of his Scottish upbringing in the 80s when the UK had virtually no recognition, let alone empathy, for the condition is another. Finally, the ensemble of performances is a real treat, with Maxine Peake being particularly wonderful in her role.

Available on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/82681782

Massaman curry

Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations.