FOR 6 SERVINGS

500g packet of Bulgar wheat
200g chicken breast cut into small pieces (or lamb could be used if preferred)
2 tbsp olive oil
25g butter
1 medium onion
1 small aubergine, cut into small cubes
1 green pepper, finely sliced (if you like it hot, use 2-3 chillies instead)
1 large tomato, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tbsp tomato puree
750ml of water or stock (warm)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chilli powder (alter to taste)
1 bunch of spring onions, finely chopped (optional)
2 tbsp chopped parsley (to garnish)

Start by cutting the aubergine into approx. 1/2 inch pieces. Put them in a bowl, sprinkle them with a tsp of salt and leave to stand for at least 20 minutes. After 20 minutes rinse them with water and dry them over some kitchen paper.
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large saucepan and start frying the aubergines and chopped onions. Add the chicken pieces and seal the chicken. Add the crushed garlic, chopped tomatoes and sliced peppers. Fry until the aubergines and the chicken have a golden colour.
Add the tomato puree and stir for a couple of minutes. Stir in the bulgar wheat and saute it for at least 3 minutes. You can see the bulgar grains changing colour and becoming translucent. At this stage add the seasonings: salt, pepper and the chilli powder.
Pour in the stock or water. Cover the saucepan and bring it to boil. After about five minutes of boiling turn the heat right down and cook until all the stock is absorbed.
Check for seasoning, put the lid back on and leave to cook on lowest heat for a further 10 mins. After the cooking time is over, add half of the finely chopped spring onions and the parsley and mix gently with a wooden spoon. Transfer the pilaff to your serving dish and decorate with the rest of the spring onions and parsley.

TAHINLI PIYAZ (BEAN SALAD WITH TAHINI SAUCE)

FOR 6 SERVINGS

4 x 300g tins of cannellini beans (drained weight is 175g)
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 lemons
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt

To Garnish:
2 hard boiled eggs
1 bunch of spring onions
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tsp chilli pepper
2 large tomatoes

Drain the beans and rinse well under warm water (warm water helps to soften them and they'll absorb the dressing better). Put 3 tbsp of beans in a bowl and mash them using a fork or potato masher until smooth. Add the tahini, crushed garlic, lemon juice , vinegar, salt and olive oil and mix well. Put the rest of the beans in a large bowl, pour half the dressing over the beans and mix well. Then transfer the beans on to your serving dish and pour over rest of the dressing. Sprinkle the chopped spring onions, chopped parsley and chilli pepper. Slice the hard bolied egg and the tomatoes and decorate the salad.

Tom Yam Kung

Sour and spicy prawn soup

Ingredients (for four people)

3 spiny-clawed prawns, together weighing about 400 grams
2 lemon grass stalks
5 slices of galangal
5 kaffir leaves
3 hot chillies
100 grams fresh mushrooms
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. lime juice
3 cups chicken stock
1 tbsp. roasted chilli paste

Preparation

1 Heat the stock in pot until boiling. Crush the lemon grass, cut into sections, and add to the boiling stock together with the galangal.

2 Wash, shell and vein the prawns, leaving the tail fans attached, and add them to the boiling stock. Cut the mushrooms in half, add to the pot and stir.

3 Season to taste with chilli paste, fish sauce and lime juice. Just break the chillies in a mortar before adding. Tear the kaffir leaves into several pieces, add to pot and then remove the pot from the heat. Pour the tom yam into a bowl and serve hot.

Fried rice with vegetables

Ingredients (for two people)

2 cups of boiled rice
2 mushrooms
1 medium sized carrot
1 tomato
½ onion
2 spring onions
2 eggs
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ tablespoon of fish sauce
½ tablespoon sugar
11/2 tablespoon of cooking oil
½ cucumber
Slices of lime

Preparation

1 Chop vegetables and mushrooms into small pieces. Place cooking oil in frying pan and heat up. When hot, add vegetables and eggs. Mix together until the egg solidifies. Then add the boiled rice.

2 Add the soy sauce, sugar and fish sauce. Cook for a further 3 minutes, constantly stirring.

3 Slice the cucumber.

4 Serve rice warm with sliced cucumber and piece of lime.

You can add prawns, chicken or pork if preferred.