Book review


Lemongrass chicken


I know with absolute certainty why this dish is a big hitter on the School of Wok YouTube channel. Like many Thai curries and stews, it’s bold in flavour, but it can be cooked in a fraction of the time it takes for some of the slower- cooked recipes. That means less time spent sal-


Simple Family Feasts By Jeremy Pang Hamlyn, £22


Don’t be deceived by the words “simple” and “family” in the title of this book – it provides a window into pan-Asian cooking that rarely found in cookbooks, relayed in a digestible manner. It’s a jumping-off point to the conti- nent that can spark inspiration and help shake you out of a cooking rut. Jeremy Pang is a familiar face from British tel-


evision, having appeared on Ready Steady Cook and Sunday Brunch. He established his culinary school, inventively named the School of Wok, in 2009 and has published several cookbooks over the years. With this educational experi- ence he’s a pro at conveying recipes in a thor- ough manner without being condescending. The sections are split by nationality, pro-


viding a thoughtful nod to authenticity rather than swaying into painting the cuisine of the continent with one pan-Asian brush. There are 10 chapters, including one for desserts. Dishes are categorised by their texture pro- file, such as the Vietnamese coconut and pork belly and eggs labelled “silky and melt-in-the- mouth”, or the Japanese “crispy” panko’d pork. Many recipes are given a “wok clock” – Pang’s way of placing ingredients clockwise in the order they are cooked on a plate beforehand to maintain a tidy work space. Notable recipes includes the canned fruit ice


kacang – a Malaysian street food of jelly, fruit and shaved ice, simply made by spreading the liquid on a tray for freezing, or there’s the Yun- nan mint salad, which uses mint leaves as the salad base. A crispy cream cracker pork recipe sees the savoury biscuits used as a crunchy coat- ing, while for the pork wraps coffee is added to the poaching liquid for flavour and colour. Pang has the ability to pitch recipes at a level


that would suit a wide range of cooks, and while they are perfect for family home dinners, they can also help chefs develop their repertoire and dip their toe into global cuisines. There’s even a lesson to be learned from Pang’s success as a teacher, through the way he describes recipes and develops ideas, which could be a useful skill when teaching others. By Maria Mellor


30 | The Caterer | 15 September 2023


ivating over the stove and more time to eat. This fierce stir-fry will make your mouth water and your guests’ too – if you haven’t picked it all out of the wok before they arrive!


Serves 2


4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks 1tbs chicken stock or water ½ white or brown onion, finely sliced 2-3 lime leaves Handful of Thai basil leaves Vegetable oil


Curry paste 3 spring onions, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, bruised and finely chopped ½ thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped ½ thumb-sized piece of turmeric, peeled and finely chopped (swapsies: 1tsp ground turmeric) 5-6 lime leaves, finely chopped ½ teaspoon salt


Sauce 1tbs light soy sauce 1tbs fish sauce ½tbs palm sugar 50ml chicken stock


Pound the paste ingredients together using a pestle and mortar, adding them one at a time, or blitz them in a food processor to form a smooth paste (you may need to add a tablespoon or so of water). Mix the sauce ingredients


together in a small bowl. Place the chicken pieces in


a bowl. Mix one tablespoon of the curry paste with the chicken stock or water and massage it into the chicken. Build Your Wok Clock [see book


review for details]: Start at 12 o’clock with the marinated chicken, fol-


PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRIS KIRKHAM


lowed by the rest of the curry paste, the onion, the sauce, lime leaves and lastly the Thai basil leaves. Heat 1-2 tablespoons of vege-


table oil in a wok on a high heat until smoking hot. Add the mari- nated chicken and sear for a min- ute without moving, then fold the chicken over to sear on the other


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