The general principle of meal preparation is to combine as many foods as possible in a rainbow of colours: red, orange, yellow, white, green, purple.

Dish of the Day

The general principle of meal preparation is to combine as many foods as possible in a rainbow of colours: red, orange, yellow, white, green, purple. Proteins, carbohydrates, greens. Meats, fish, rice, pasta, noodles, potatoes, all colours of vegetables and fruits. Roots, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. Where ever possible grow your own at the allotment. To enjoy Oolong tea, serve from a Yixing stoneware teapot.

Prepare all ingredients for stir frying in a wok

Stir fried vegetables, bacon, prawns, eggs; add noodles

Ingredients: broccoli, mange-tout, coriander, white onion, spring onion, prawns, bacon, eggs, red onion, baby corn, carrot, sweet pepper, red and green chilli, garlic, ginger, and fresh egg noodle.

Gently fry the eggs and whisk with chopsticks, keep warm in oven. Blanche broccoli, drain and keep warm. Fry bacon, prawns, and add vegetables; onions, carrots, stirring softer vegetables in as harder ones soften. Transfer to warm bowl in oven. Stir fry fresh egg noodles in a little corn oil flavoured with shredded fresh ginger and teaspoon of Malaysian curry powder, until heated well throughout. Add vegetables and eggs from oven and continue stirring until evenly mixed and piping hot. Serve on a warm plate, add chilli oil to taste. Enjoy. Serve with Oolong tea.

Egg fried noodles



Favourite recipe: Hungarian lamb goulash		Chicken goulash, potatoes. Pinot noir wine.

		Chilli con carne with boiled/steamed rice



		Minced beef, 2 tins red kidney beans, 1 tin chopped tomatoes, diced onion
Steamed Thai fragrant white rice, garnished with wild rice and petit pois		half jar tomato/basil pasta sauce, two tablespoons brown crystal sugar, salt
		black pepper, teaspoon chilli oil

	Ciabatta bread mix as base for two pizzas, water, olive oil



	Tomato/basil pasta sauce, finely diced red onion, red sweet pepper		Fresh fruits and vanilla yoghurt
	smoked paprika pork salami, teaspoon dry mixed herbs, black olives
	black pepper, grated Cheddar, a sprinkling of Parmesan, splash of olive oil

	Steamed cod fillet, curried cod, steamed brocolli, boiled white rice



	Three portions of fish, finely sliced root ginger, spring onions, steamed in a wok on the plate on a rack
	served with a dash of light soy sauce
	Brocolli blanched in pan, flash stir fry in wok with a dash of Chinese 'Shaohsing' cooking wine
	Malaysian curry powder, Yeo's (milder), Hup Loong Kapitan Curry (extra hot), one tablespoon, one finely diced onion, three slices fresh root ginger, coconut milk to taste (half can) cook onions in corn oil, add spices. When the sauce is a good consistency drop in 6 mouth sized portions of cod or haddock loin and continue cooking gently in the curry sauce without stirring to avoid breaking the fish. Garnish with finely diced spring onion green leaves.

	Pan-fried duck breast/boned thighs, Swiss chard, potato cakes. Summer fruits crumble.



	Slash the skin of the duck into the fat umderneath, fry in a dry non-stick pan until duck fat melts and skin crispens, turn and brown flesh side. Ensure inside is cooked to your taste, not too rare, nor too well done. Carve into mouth sized slices if eating with chopsticks.
	Using mashed potatoes, mix in an egg, press out flat, cut with scone cutter, roll in oatmeal, fry both sides in corn oil.
	Wash Swiss chard leaves, cut stems and fry in oil with crushed garlic separately from green leaves. Stir regularly to avoid uneven heating or burning.

			Oven bake Summer fruits with a crumble topping. Serve with custard or vanilla ice-cream.

	Grilled pork loin with tinned peach slices, potatoes and vegetables



	Coat pork with oil, finely diced garlic and grated fresh ginger, black pepper to tast, grill on both sides. Lay slices of tinned peach and continue grilling.
	Quarter a fresh fig and grill with a slice of brie cheese.
	Boiled Charlotte potatoes, buttered, boiled vegetables..

	Special fried rice. Prepare all ingredients finely diced.



	The rice should be Thai fragrant rice, steamed and allowed to cool, separated with a little peanut oil.
	Dice whatever meats and vegetable that you like. Best of all is barbecued pork loin. Alternatively finely diced chicken, bacon, or pork loin or gammon steak. Peeled fresh king prawns, sun dried shrinps.
	Prepare the wok with a small amount of peanut/groundnut oil (unless peanut allergy), add finely grated fresh ginger, this helps stop foodstuff sticking. Cook all the meat and seafood ingredients, add diced onion, carrot, red pepper, finely sliced chilli peper to taste, peas, baby corn, season with a little salt and black pepper.
	Fry an egg in a clean pan, stir and fragment. Keep all cooked ingredients warm in oven.
	In a clean wok, fry a little fresh grated ginger in peanut oil and add the cooled rice turning continuously until well heated throughout, add the pre-cooked meat, seafood and vegetable continuing to stir. Add more oil if required. Finally stir through the prepared egg and garnish with finely diced spring onion greens. Ensure the whole dish is piping hot. Drizzle lightly with chilli oil on your plate. Serve with Oolong tea.

Dish of the Day

initiative.cafe is a design 'cafe'. Ideas, graphics, creative solutions. But we all have to eat too!

Brian Marsh, 29 November 2008