CookBook

Rice noodles' is the generic name given to num banh chok, a classic Cambodian soup traditionally served at breakfast or as an afternoon snack. Although you will find regional differences it is always made with a freshly pounded lemon grass paste, fish, noodles and a selection of crisp raw vegetables and fresh herbs.

The people of Andhra Pradesh love their pungent, spicy and sour flavours, as well as cooking vegetables in rich pastes made of sesame seeds, poppy seeds or peanuts. This dish is typical of the region and uses tamarind for sourness and sesame seeds for rich creaminess. I've borrowed the cracked wheat from Andhra's neighbouring state Hyderabad to serve the aubergines with.

This is one of southern Thailand's most famous curries. It is fragrant, a little salty and fiercely hot. And, despite its fame, it is unusual among the Thai curries for its dryness. There is no oil used in its cooking, and it has no sauce.

Japanese cooking rarely involves beans within the haricot family, but the combination of umami-rich miso paste with creamy, soft white beans is a thing of magic. It also lends itself to so many variations, which feel different each time. All that's required is texture (crunch, bite) and acidity (through a pickle or otherwise). We like loading the warm miso beans into bowls and topping them with kimchi, cooked green veggies and chilli oil, but you could also serve up a more refined dish, using the beans as a side to slow-cooked aubergine or pork and a crunchy cucumber salad (see page 60).