-
I've been accused of having very long ingredient lists, and I guess there's some truth in that.
-
The emotive power of hummus all over the Middle East cannot be overstated, being the focus of some serious tribal rivalries.
-
Chana dal are skinless dried split chickpeas used in Indian cooking. They have a great texture and delicate flavour.
-
Tel Aviv is the most exciting place to eat in Israel.
-
Hardly any of my most memorable meals have been eaten in a restaurant, and definitely none in one of those fancy marble-floored, polished-silver establishments.
-
Call me tacky, but I love the union of sweet and sour, even in some now-unloved Oriental dishes incorporating pineapple and ketchup.
-
Forget mung beans' reputation as healthy yet bland - used right, they soak up loads of flavour.
-
Greek yogurt with some olive oil stirred in can transform many dishes.
-
Nearly all edible seaweeds - or 'sea vegetables,' as they ought technically to be called - belong to one of three broad groups: green, red and brown algae.
-
Tagliatelle comes from the word tagliare, meaning 'to cut.' Tagliolini are simply thinly cut tagliatelle.
-
The unlikely combination of potatoes and pasta does appear in some Italian recipes.
-
I just don't tend to cook eggplant at home.
-
My all-time favourite classic use of ricotta is in gnudi: fluffy, cheesy dumplings of almost ethereal, feathery lightness.
-
The Guardian's 'Word of Mouth' blog bridges the gap between blogging and serious food journalism.
-
People don't know how good cauliflower is, because they always have this image of cauliflower cheese - awful, sticky, creamy and rich.
-
Urfa chillies are a Turkish variety that are mild on heat but big on aroma. They're sweet, smoky, a lovely dark red, and go with just about anything.
-
Sorrel adds a unique grassy sharpness to salads and dressings, but it can be hard to come by.
-
There are many reasons I feel at home in the U.K., but if I were asked to pinpoint the moment I knew I'd arrived, it might well be when I realised the British shared my love of fritters.
-
Cobnuts have a fresher flavour than any other nut I know of and go very well with autumnal fruit and light cheeses.
-
In vast parts of the world, people don't eat meat.
-
In certain European cuisines, vegetables are cooked a long time. I take the term 'al dente' and use it for vegetables.
-
I rarely cook traditional risotto, but I love other grains cooked similarly - barley, spelt or split wheat. I find they have more character than rice and absorb other flavours more wholeheartedly.
-
Brussels sprouts are really quite versatile.
-
Tossing doughnuts, fritters or fried dumplings in fennel sugar adds grown-up complexity without diminishing the indulgence factor.