Whether you’re hosting a banquet or preparing a cosy meal-for-two, these dishes lean on pantry staples stocked by oriental grocers across the UK.
1. Longevity stir-fry noodles
Ingredients
- 400g fresh egg noodles
- Pak choi or choi sum
- Dried shiitake mushrooms
- Light + dark soy sauce
Blanch greens, stir-fry aromatics, then toss noodles with rehydrated mushrooms and soy sauce. Finish with sesame oil for fragrance.
2. Tamarind glazed aubergines
Layer roasted aubergines with tamarind paste, palm sugar and chilli crunch sourced from Thai and Filipino aisles.
3. Coconut sweet rice parcels
What you need
- Glutinous rice
- Coconut milk
- Pandan leaves
- Palm sugar
Steam pandan-infused rice, fold in coconut caramel and wrap in banana leaves for dessert parcels that travel well.
Share your pantry finds or favourite regional recipes with us so we can spotlight even more local flavours in future guides.