June 2025 Favourites list

Welcome to this month’s list, and I hope you enjoy my selections and recent food photos of home cooking from my kitchen. 

Turkish Cypriot style lamb and okra stew

 

Food writing

A pleasing, emotional long read from Bee Wilson – kitchen objects and their connection to memory is the topic of “Death, divorce and the magic of kitchen objects: how to find hope in loss”: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/apr/29/death-divorce-loss-kitchen-objects

Kavey’s latest cookbook review is Mangal II restaurant’s book of recipes and stories, with recipes tested by Pete and Kavey: https://www.kaveyeats.com/mangal-ii-cookbook-ferhat-sertac-dirik

 

Turkish style tomato and red onion salad

Kitchen tips

Dips with flatbreads and crackers are great for summer picnics and light lunches in a heatwave. But which dips should you take the effort in making yourself, and which can you just buy ready made? https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/jun/03/which-dips-are-ok-to-buy-and-which-should-i-make-kitchen-aide

If you are in need of new ideas for light summer pasta salads for your lunch box, this is a fun collection with international inspiration: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/summer-pasta-salad-recipes

Recipes

Isabelle O’Carroll shares a recipe for Mussels (delicious and sustainable) cooked in orzo with a panko pangrattato topping: https://heartofeating.substack.com/p/what-fish-to-eat

Isabelle's orzo with mussels

Greek lamb stuffed courgette recipe, topped with toasted pine nuts would be lovely with a simple Greek salad: https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/meat-and-poultry/greek-lamb-stuffed-courgettes/

Beans are a great source of protein and fibre, and combined with roasted trout for a Spanish style summer salad: https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/recipes/murcia-salad-with-beans-and-trout/ Archive link in case the original does not work: https://archive.ph/rfVmn

From Asma Khan’s latest cookbook Monsoon, her First Class railway curry recipe: https://www.diasporaco.com/blogs/recipes/asmas-first-class-railway-curry

Georgina Hayden’s recipe for gigantes (giant butter beans) with ’nduja: https://archive.ph/1ftTp

Savoury scones are ideal for summer picnics. What about bringing the flavours of Thai Gren curry into the mix? Yes please! https://eatchofood.com/blog/2023/10/3/green-curry-and-onion-scones

Jhal Muri

 

Normally I end with the pop culture picks, but this time it makes more sense to share the TV picks and end with Food and travel. You’ll see why…

TV

Race Across The World, Season 5

As someone who isn’t into reality TV, this show had passed me by until hearing Nick Grimshaw talk about it on Radio 6. I decided to watch the first episode of the current series and was immediately hooked. Yes, some scenes are played for camera, and it seems like the production team help the contestants behind the scenes. But the locations sparked wanderlust, and getting to know the contestants, their back stories, and relationships provided better drama than a lot of scripted TV. The destinations in China are going on my list…

Watch on BBC iPlayer: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m0002tvs/race-across-the-world?seriesId=m0002tvs-structural-5-m0029sss  

 

Hainanese Chicken rice

Jeremy Pang’s Hong Kong Kitchen

Chef Jeremy Pang, who runs London’s excellent School of Wok cooking school is a natural explainers of the preparation techniques, cooking methods, and recipes in Chinese cuisine. He’s clear, easy to follow, and highly practical. So when I heard he was going to combine a cooking show with travels in Hong Kong, I was immediately sold.

Watch on ITVx: https://www.itv.com/watch/jeremy-pangs-hong-kong-kitchen/10a5696

Food and travel

If you’ve enjoyed watching Race Across The World, here is an article of foodie inspiration for you: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/race_across_the_world_inspiration

Jeremy Pang shares some of his tips for places to eat in Hong Kong: https://holidays.radiotimes.com/travel-news/inside-jeremy-pangs-hong-kong-kitchen/

 

Thai style seared beef salad

Music

This weekend will be all about Glastonbury. I’m sharing this list on day 2 of the festival, before any of the acts have started. But yesterday I really enjoyed Jalen Ngonda, Gracie Abrams and Self Esteem. And it was always nice to see Franz Ferdinand. I’m looking forward to Ezra Collective and Neil Young.

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 2025 favourites list

Hello my foodie chums!

This month’s collection is all about being in the kitchen. In a good way, of course! From kitchen tips based in science, to recipes from Korea and Malaysia, to making your own salsa without a recipe, it’s all here and more.

This month’s photos are of my recent cooking exploits. It was only when I collected them together that I realised I have been obsessed with rice dishes! Is this something which happens to other people? I thought I just jumped from one idea to another when choosing what to cook and eat. I didn’t think there was any particular theme… but the evidence which will follow really does suggest otherwise! It isn’t even that all of the dishes come from the same tradition, either. But it has been fun exploring Spanish style rice with chorizo and prawn, Hainanese chicken rice (where the rice is cooked in the poaching water used for the chicken), a pork mince rich Ma po tofu, and rice with the Sausage Yachae Bokkeum recipe shared below.

Whatever you have been cooking and eating, I hope it has given you sustenance, satisfaction and joy. 

Spanish bomba rice with chorizo, prawns and peas

 

Food writing

This month, my food writing fix has come from Issue 1 of Vittles magazine. After 5 years as an online entity, Jonathan Nunn has finally pulled off the feat of a printed paper edition of the freewheeling, innovative, and thought-provoking newsletter. The list of contributors will surprise you, as will the variety of food topics covered. The initial run sold out, but thankfully, they have restocked. Get yours here: https://vittlesmagazine.myshopify.com/products/vittles-magazine-issue-1-spring-2025-preorder

Recipes

Sausage Yachae Bokkeum or Korean Ketchup Fried Frankfurters from Su Scott’s book “Pocha” is a recipe I tried making recently, thanks to Kavey’s blog post recipe. It’s a fun and easy dish you could have as a snack with beer, or a lunch, but I maxxed it up with rice to make it dinner: https://www.kaveyeats.com/korean-ketchup-fried-frankfurters

Sausage Yachae Bokkeum with steamed rice

This Chinese style sizzling oil sauce can be used on almost anything and is not the same as your Chilli crisp oil (although I often have a jar of Lao Gan Ma in the kitchen): https://lifehacker.com/food-drink/sizzling-oil-sauce-recipe

The Roti King recipe for Malaysian roti (flatbread), the street food classic, shared by Sugen Gopal, who has finally put together a long awaited Malaysian cuisine cookbook: https://www.ft.com/content/30f2161e-c41c-4047-9436-a02898e3ff86

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

More Sugen Gopal Malaysian  recipes here – chicken rendang and rasam: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/apr/29/chicken-rendang-and-rasam-recipes-sugen-gopal-malaysian-recipes-comfort-food

A plant based alternative to smashed avo on toast – crispy chickpeas on “green toast” (green pea mash) from Dr Rupy Aujla: https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegan/crispy-chickpeas-on-green-toast/

 

Hainanese chicken rice - more flavourful than the colour suggests

Kitchen tips

Scientific paper on fluid dynamics considers how to reduce the tears when cutting onions – the verdict? Keep your knife as sharp as possible: https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.06016

I’m not a fan of boiled broccoli, I steam mine instead (5mins al dente, 7mins fully cooked). But this article recommends roasting with instructions for both ovens and air fryers: https://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/boost-your-broccoli-cooking-one-35206401

Would you cook steak in the dishwasher? I’m deeply sceptical, but apparently, once vacuum packed, and with no detergent tablet, it works: https://www.vice.com/en/article/dishwashers-can-cook-the-perfect-rare-steak-meat-lover-claims/

 

A pork mince version of Ma Po tofu

Rick Martínez, author of Salsa Daddy: Dip Your Way Into Mexican Cooking shares his tips for making homemade salsa: https://www.realsimple.com/homemade-salsa-tips-11722298

I’ve never worked in a restaurant, but I have always used the “back to front” rule of loading the dishwasher. Here is the guide to how to load the dishwasher, as gleaned from working in a restaurant: https://www.foodandwine.com/right-way-to-load-a-dishwasher-11726925

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.

April 2025 Favourites list

Hello my internet friends! Welcome to this month’s list of food related stuff. I’m going heavy on the tips and advice this month, as I’ve been wanting to broaden my cooking horizons and knowledge. I hope you enjoy this month’s selections. 

 

Food writing

It’s a ubiquitous tabletop condiment, known by everyone. But what actually is “ketchup”? https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-ketchup

Food advice and kitchen tips

Mis en place (or “meez” as it is often referred to) is a kitchen skill chefs swear by; getting everything ready in advance and having it to hand(In terms of “manliness”, no, I don’t think this is just for men, it just happens to be where I found this piece): https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/advice/mis-en-place/

Some of my experiments with Gochujaru and Szechuan cooking have led to some incendiary dishes. This advice on how to fix a dish which is too hot is something I’ll be keeping in mind: https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-fix-a-dish-thats-too-spicy-article

The celery in my local Turkish grocers comes with a healthy and vibrant head of leaves and it always seems like a shame not to use them. Other than putting them in salads or stock, here is a very handy use, especially if you love a Bloody Mary: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/mar/22/how-to-turn-excess-celery-leaves-into-celery-salt-recipe-zero-waste-cooking

The “Just One Cookbook” website, written by Namiko Chen, is an excellent source of Japanese recipes and know-how. Here Nami sets out the difference between Soba and Udon noodles. https://www.justonecookbook.com/difference-between-soba-and-udon-noodles/

Many of us need to think about reducing our sodium intake. While both soy sauce and MSG contain sodium, they can deliver lots of flavour while still reducing your overall sodium intake. Lifehacker’s resident food expert Allie explains all here: https://lifehacker.com/food-drink/reduce-salt-intake-with-soy-sauce-msg

If you’ve ever seen the Chinese Cooking Demystified YouTube channel, Steph and Chris give detailed and careful explanations about ingredients, techniques, and dishes. Their guide to rice cookers is every bit as helpful and informative as you’d expect, and there is a video of an epic 7 minute rant which is well worth your attention: https://chinesecookingdemystified.substack.com/p/rice-cookers-a-guide

Chris’s 7 minute rant on rice cookers and cooking equipment can also be found here: https://youtu.be/OpDh_O473Ms?si=8iXfgVYOiG45p7ep

 

Recipes

The Vietnamese dish “Shaking beef” is a well known one, and I’ve enjoyed it at a Viet café close to my workplace. Here’s a variation for you all, served with pasta: https://www.thekitchn.com/shaking-beef-pasta-recipe-23714820

José Pizarro’s recipe for spring lamb and asparagus rice with saffron and fino: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/apr/15/spring-lamb-asparagus-rice-saffron-fino-recipe-jose-pizarro

Yari Club, on London’s St Martin’s Lane, specialises in Yakitori (Japanese grilled skewers) and cocktails. This is their take on Otoso (spiced Sake): https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/mar/14/cocktail-of-the-week-yari-clubs-spiced-sake-recipe

 

What you might have missed at Snig’s Kitchen

My most recent instant noodle review – Itsu’s chick n ramen (vegan) instant noodle in a pot: https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2025/03/itsu-chick-n-ramen-instant-noodle-review.html

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 2025 favourites list

It is late March and here in the UK spring is springing. With it, lighter mornings and a little bit of sunshine. The brash colour of the early spring flowers are such a joy to behold after the dreary winter months. 

 

I hope you enjoy this month’s selection with some photos I have taken of this spring’s flowers.

Food writing

Olive Magazine picks the best places to eat in Shoreditch, London: https://www.olivemagazine.com/restaurants/shoreditch-foodie-guide-where-to-eat-and-drink/

Asma Khan is the creator of Darjeeling Express, a unique restaurant empowering women. In this interview, she speaks about sexism in the hospitality industry and why it doesn’t have to be this way. https://metro.co.uk/2025/03/08/female-chefs-kept-quiet-years-need-call-toxic-kitchens-22690539/

This is childish, but I couldn’t resist… Why do beans make you fart? https://www.self.com/story/why-do-beans-make-you-fart

 

Food advice and kitchen tips

Made one of those recipes requiring only half a can of coconut milk? Found yourself throwing away the other half? Don’t do this again – freeze it! https://lifehacker.com/food-drink/yes-you-can-freeze-coconut-milk

This How To guide from BBC Good Food has given me ideas on how to shake up my home cooking – the ingredients which will change how you cook. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredients-that-will-change-the-way-you-cook

Andrew Wong shares his wisdom on Chinese cooking sauces, plus his recipes for Beef XO, ginger and spring onion relish, and black bean sauce: https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/andrew-wongs-chinese-sauces-masterclass/

 

Recipes

Spring means the start of salad season. To bridge the gap, here is Nigel Slater’s recipe for a raw winter slaw with herby mayonnaise: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2025/feb/11/nigel-slaters-recipe-for-raw-winter-slaw-with-herby-mayo

If you follow me on Bluesky, you’ll know about my Chaat obsession. Here is Dishoom’s Tandoori chaat charred sweet potato recipe: https://www.dishoom.com/journal/recipes/dishoom-tandoori-chaat-charred-sweet-potato-recipe/

Easy healthy Indian curry recipes for midweek recipe inspiration: https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/wellness/midweek-meals-recipe-indian-curry-easy-healthy-cooking-b1209098.html

 

Food and health

There are a lot of food scares out there. This seems like a balanced and helpful look at the issue of mercury levels in tuna: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/mercury_in_tuna

I have joked about how there’s a second stomach for dessert, and it seems this has some basis in science. Who knew? https://www.npr.org/2025/03/15/nx-s1-5328768/sugar-brain-cravings-dessert

What you might have missed at Snig’s Kitchen

My latest instant noodle review – Itsu’s chick n ramen (vegan) instant noodle in a pot: https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2025/03/itsu-chick-n-ramen-instant-noodle-review.html

My beginners guide to Chaat: https://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2025/02/chaat-beginners-guide.html

TV

Unforgotten, Season 6

Sanjeev Bhaskar returns as DI Sunny Khan working with DCI Jessica James (played by Sinead Keenan) investigating a “fresh” cold case involving body parts found on Whitney Marsh. Taking in themes of what it is like to be a carer, neurodiversity, incel culture, right wing news channels, tensions in contemporary academia, and the timeless matters of human nature. It has received unfair criticism for being “political” but as writer and creator Chris Lang said “I like to hold up a mirror to the UK, and reflect where we are".

Available on ITV player:

https://www.itv.com/watch/unforgotten/2a3372/2a3372a0031

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.