Mum's Stinky Nuts!

So-called because cooking them makes the kitchen eye-wateringly "fragrant" (AKA stinky)...!

I've been making these for too many years to remember; both for myself and the family to nibble on, and to share with friends who come over, especially to go with drinks prior to diving into "proper food"!

They're very quick and simple to make in a pan, you just need to toss them for a few minutes - the longest part is waiting for them to cool down, so they become nice and crunchy! After years of making these intuitively, it took me several attempts to measure out the exact amount of spices and liquids tc. to replicate the way I make them, however after giving it a go as written, feel free to change the spice levels to your own tastes, and if you want them saltier, omit the water and add a little more soy sauce to taste - I just didn't want them to be too salty for people the first time they tried them!

Kecap Manis - Gluten Free Substitute

The perfect substitute if you need a gluten free substitute for Kecap Manis.

After developing a newfound love for Indonesian food, I had to also develop a substitute for the Indonesian sweet soy sauce known as Kecap Manis so that my coeliac daughter could enjoy it too.

The great news is that it's really easy to make, and you only need three ingredients, all of which are pretty easy to get hold of if you don't already have them in your storecupboard.

Larp Gai (Thai Spicy Minced Chicken Salad) - including Thermomix instructions

I first fell in love with this in Sheffield, of all places, when a friend of mine made it...

But a trip to Thailand soon followed. This is one of the really well known Thai salads, and is incredibly refreshing and full of flavour. It's also very easy to make, full of flavour, healthy and can be a great sharing food if you provide the leaves of baby gem lettuces to use as little cups for the salad (or assemble them in about 12 small baby gem lettuce leaves, for canapes for friends to help themselves to).

Serves two (or more as a starter, or sharing platter), easily doubled.

Calories per serving (between two) 203 for chicken salad, 37 calories for suggested vegetables

A popular spicy chicken salad, originating from the North East of Thailand, served with raw vegetables. Eaten cool, so great to prepare ahead, or even make as a meal the night before, then put the rest into your lunchbox (with vegetables/salad in a separate tub) for the next day. 

[Calories in square brackets]

Cauliflower Cheese with Roasted Cauliflower and a Parmesan Crust

When it's good, it's very, very good...

If you're passionate about cauliflower, you'll find that tossing it in oil then roasting it intensifies and transforms the taste, giving a deep, nutty,  flavour. You could eat it on it's own like this, with a sprinkling of sea salt, or use it in other dishes, such as this cauliflower cheese dish. I think it's perfect for cauliflower cheese, because it means you avoid two heinous crimes against said dish, being either a watery sauce leaching out from soggy cauliflower (from the juices leaking out) or a stodgy lump you can pick up on your fork, from the dish cooking too long and all liquids evaporating. Yes, you know what I'm talking about! (Don't mention this to Grandma).

I have given you two versions, naughty and nice - one for the sinful amongst you, made with a traditional Béchamel and plenty of cheese, the other equally tasty, but with a lighter gluten-free version of a Béchamel sauce, both topped with a Parmesan cheese crumb. How much, if any, of the Parmesan crumb you choose to sprinkle on is up to you - you may just decide you prefer to have grated cheese on top. Or nothing extra. What you will get, though, is delicious cauliflower in a silky sauce. If you want to make it a little more punchy, add a spoonful of Dijon or English mustard to the sauce, and if you haven't got time to infuse the milk with the onion, you could cheat and add a little onion powder / granules instead.