In northern Thailand’s mountainous Khao Kho region, Saiphin Moore, the vivacious founder of London’s ubiquitous restaurant chain Rosa’s Thai, grew up cooking and eating some of her country’s most famous dishes. From the seriously spicy som tam to the famously fiery pad kra prow, these recipes pack a punch – which also makes them the perfect winter warmer. Som tam (green papaya salad) Ingredients: 2 tbsp roasted peanuts 1-10 red bird’s eye chillies (depending on how brave you are) 5 small (or 2-3 large) garlic cloves 1½ tbsp palm sugar 2 yard-long beans (or green beans), cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) pieces 4 cherry tomatoes, sliced 2 tbsp fresh lime juice 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce (or 2 tsp salt) ½ medium green papaya, peeled and shredded 1 carrot, shredded 2 tbsp dried shrimp (leave out for a vegetarian alternative) Method: 1. In a small, dry frying pan, toast the peanuts over a medium heat until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. (There’s also a ready-toasted alternative you can find in the supermarkets). 2. Coarsely pound the chillies and garlic together using a pestle and mortar. Add the palm sugar, beans and tomatoes. Lightly pound to combine, then squeeze in the lime juice and fish sauce. 3. Lightly pound again, then add the green papaya and carrot. Pound again and toss to combine. The taste should be sweet and salty in perfect balance, with a sharp, sour and spicy tang. 4. Spoon the salad into a serving bowl and sprinkle over the dried shrimp and toasted peanuts. Pad kra prow taohu (tofu holy basil stir-fry) Pad kra prow is another national dish found on many a Thai street corner, and that includes the vegetarian version. In Thailand we use holy basil, the very pungent sister of Italian basil, which is a key ingredient in Thai cooking. You’ll notice the sudden bursts of aroma from the wok as soon as you start tossing the ingredients together over a high heat – it’s a smell that wakes up my senses every time. Serves: 2 Ingredients: 3 red bird’s eye chillies 3 garlic cloves 2 tbsp vegetable oil 150g (5½oz) firm tofu, cut into chunks 1 tbsp light soy sauce ½ tbsp dark soy sauce ½ tbsp sugar Pinch of white pepper ½ onion, chopped ¼ red pepper, sliced ¼ yellow pepper, sliced 30g (1oz) yard-long beans or green beans, cut into 2cm (¾ inch) pieces Handful of holy basil leaves 2 kaffir lime leaves, chopped Steamed jasmine rice, to serve Method: 1. Using either a pestle and mortar, grind the chillies and garlic to a paste. 2. Heat the oil in a wok set over a high heat. Add the chilli and garlic mixture and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until nice and golden brown. 3. Now add the tofu chunks, both soy sauces, the palm sugar and white pepper and cook, tossing everything around in the pan, for about 1 minute, until the tofu is well coated and has taken on a little colour from the sauces. 4. Once everything is mixed well, add the onion, peppers and long beans and cook for a further 30 seconds, all the while tossing the mixture together. Throw in the basil and lime leaves and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds. Serve immediately with jasmine rice. Grilled whole sea bass At home in Petchabun, in the north of Thailand, we would cook this dish with whatever freshwater fish we caught that day. It’s always been one of my favourite go-to barbecue recipes because it’s super quick and easy to put together! This dish has always been on our menu from day one but I’ve tweaked it slightly from what we serve at Lao Café to make sure everyone can easily make this at home. It’s great just by itself with the spicy dipping sauce, or add sticky rice or rice noodles, and leafy green salads on the side to make it a complete meal. Serves: 2-3 Ingredients: 1 whole sea bass, scaled and gutted (or other sustainably caught medium-size white fish like sea bream or tilapia) 1 stalk of lemongrass, sliced 4-5 stalks of coriander (save the leaves for dipping sauce) 1 galangal, sliced (available from Asian supermarkets, leave out if you can’t find it) 2 cloves of garlic, whole A handful of Thai or Italian basil leaves For the marinade: 2 tbsp oyster sauce 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp black pepper, crushed For the dipping sauce: 2-3 bird eyes chillies, finely chopped 1 small clove of garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp lime juice 1 tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar) A handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped Method: Rub the marinade mixture liberally on both sides of the fish skin. Stuff the lemongrass, coriander stalks, galangal, garlic, and basil inside the fish. Wrap the fish in foil and place on the barbeque for 15-20 minutes depending on the size, until the flesh flakes easily. While the fish is cooking, make the dipping sauce by combining the ingredients together. Make sure that the sugar is dissolved completely. Serve the fish from the foil, set a bowl of sticky rice or rice noodles and salads on the side, and dig in! Read More Move over Nando’s – how chicken restaurants became cool Long live British scran: Three classic dishes for autumn Four delicious ways to use up leftover pumpkin this Halloween The best foods to forage in November and how to cook them Why ‘chain’ restaurant shouldn’t be a dirty word Starbucks customer reveals comical result of her request for half sandwich

An amused Starbucks customer has exposed the uniquely cut sandwich they got at the coffee chain. Thinking she could split the lunch item with her husband, one Redditor asked to have her turkey pesto cut in half – but didn’t expect the outcome she received. On 6 November, Vivian Hargis (u/natasbby) took to the online network to reveal the unforeseen lengthy, half-cut Starbucks sandwich. In the image shared on the platform, Vivian’s sandwich was settled on top of the Starbucks branded bag. The turkey, provolone, and pesto offering was served on a long ciabatta roll. However, rather than being split in two horizontally, the Starbucks attendant had cut the bread vertically, resulting in two ultra thin halves. “Hubby and I wanted to split a sandwich. I asked if it was possible if they could cut it in half. The barista said ‘of course no problem!’... guess I should’ve been more specific,” Vivian’s caption read. Flocks of humoured Reddit users headed straight to Vivian’s comment section, admitting they’d been guilty of cutting sandwiches the uncommon way too. One user said: “One time someone asked for a spinach feta wrap cut in half and my coworker cut it like this and then forgot to give her the other half.” “I love this because it was so much harder for them to cut it like this,” another Redditor wrote. “It’s giving malicious compliance lmfaooooo,” someone else quipped. A curious viewer questioned whether Vivian had asked for her food to be “cut in half” or “cut in two,” noticing the direction printed on the Starbucks ticket which read: “Cut in two.” “We actually got two sandwiches, both cut in half. (He couldn’t decide which he wanted so we split both) and I asked for them to be cut in half. The other one was cut in half like I expected,” Vivian said. “I expect whoever was on food was irritated the barista on (drive thru) told me they would cut them.” “Not going to lie I’ve done this before,” a fellow service worker admitted to which Vivian replied: “We got a good chuckle out of it. Watching him shove half of it down it one bite was quite the picture.” Speaking to Today, Vivian further expressed her amusement, noting how her parents convinced her to post the picture on Reddit. “It was hilarious, we both had a good laugh about it, and my parents thought it was hilarious, too,” Vivian told the outlet. “They were like: ‘Put that on Reddit!’ That’s when I put it on,” she added, referring to her parents’ pleas. The Independent has contacted Vivian and Starbucks for comment. The popular coffee chain recently launched their lauded holiday drinks, reviving fan favourites from years past and re-introducing one drink that hasn’t been around for a while. The Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, and Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte all returned to the Starbucks seasonal menu on 2 November, as well as an Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai – adding a bit of spice to their 2000 original Gingerbread Latte. Read More Fans shocked as resurfaced photo shows Ben Affleck ditching Dunkin’ for Starbucks Starbucks adds new menu item to Holiday drink lineup Martha Stewart reveals how she truly feels about pumpkin spice flavouring Martha Stewart reveals how she truly feels about pumpkin spice flavouring The best foods to forage in November and how to cook them Rachael Ray shares expert cooking advice for Thanksgiving dinner

Martha Stewart has spoken candidly about the all-consuming obsession people have with pumpkin spice during the fall. The cookbook author, 82, may indulge in a classic Thanksgiving dessert, but she’s not too keen on the taste of pumpkin in her coffee. During a recent appearance on Today, Stewart expressed her apprehension about adding the spice to every food and drink, like most people do during this time of year. “So, speaking of autumn - I would like you to weigh in on this, Martha,” host Al Roker told the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model. “What say you on the pumpkin spice?” “In a pie, I love it. In anything else, I do not love it,” Stewart confessed. Roker agreed, and declared the overuse of pumpkin spice to be unnecessary. “The queen has spoken. By royal decree, get rid of the pumpkin spice,” the talk show host said. Roker first expressed his contempt for the spice in 2020, specifically calling out pumpkin spice lattes for being fake. “There’s no pumpkin in it. It’s chemicals, it’s artificial flavouring - just why?” he questioned. “OK, if you want it in your coffee, fine. But you start putting it in all these other things, it doesn’t taste good!” While Stewart didn’t reveal which foods she thinks should be free from pumpkin spice, she did express her disinterest in adding the flavour to a certain hot beverage. “I don’t like cappuccino with pumpkin spice in it, I just don’t,” she admitted. Some people may believe that the Food Network star’s distaste for pumpkin spice - in anything other than pie - is characteristic of an autumn cynic. However, Stewart is quite the opposite. Thanksgiving is in fact one of her favourite holidays, which is why she believes the Christmas season doesn’t begin until after the November holiday ends. When asked by Today achor Craig Melvin what it is about Thanksgiving that she loves so much, Stewart replied: “Well, I love holidays, you know that, and Thanksgiving is one of my favourites. “I do have gobblers in the poultry yard. I have 17 of them right now,” Stewart added, referring to the livestock she keeps on her farm in Bedford, New York – the property where she recently offered to host two lucky guests to stay ahead of the upcoming holiday. In partnership with Booking.com, Stewart is opening up her 150-acre home from 18 November to 19 November. For just $11.23, two individuals can enjoy a fall-inspired vacation in accordance with a special itinerary that includes a cottage tour and a “table setting and wreath-making demo with executive director of design, Kevin Sharkey.” “Thanksgiving has always been one of my favourite holidays to celebrate, which is why I’m excited to be Booking.com’s newest host and welcome guests to my Bedford farm for a Thanksgiving-inspired stay ahead of the big day,” Stewart said in the press release. “Every year, my Thanksgiving holiday prep begins weeks before hosting my family in Bedford, so I can’t wait to welcome the guests that book this experience to my fall-ready Tenant House on the farm and look forward to sharing my favourite Thanksgiving-inspired traditions during their stay,” she continued. Stewart’s home will be available for booking beginning 6 November at 12pm ET on Booking.com, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Read More Martha Stewart is inviting fans for pre-Thanksgiving stay at her farm in New York The best foods to forage in November and how to cook them Rachael Ray shares expert cooking advice for Thanksgiving dinner The best foods to forage in November and how to cook them Rachael Ray shares expert cooking advice for Thanksgiving dinner Long live British scran: Three classic dishes for autumn

“This is one of those quick and easy recipes that can be thrown together in next to no time,” says British-Iranian chef and author, Sabrina Ghayour. “I love this kind of dish with a green leaf salad and a simple vinaigrette on the side, but you can also cut it into smaller portions and serve it as snacks or light bites with drinks, too.” Courgette, lemon, feta and pine nut tart Serves: 4 Ingredients: 200g feta cheese, finely crumbled 250g ricotta cheese 1 tsp dried mint 1 tsp dried wild oregano 2 tsp lemon extractfinely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon 1 x 320g ready-rolled puff pastry sheet (about 350mm x 230mm) 1 courgette, very thinly slicedolive oil Handful of pine nuts 2 tbsp clear honey ½ tsp pul biber chilli flakes (omit if you prefer) Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan), gas mark 7. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. 2. Put the feta, ricotta, dried herbs and lemon extract and zest into a mixing bowl with a good seasoning of salt and pepper and beat together until smooth. 3. Place the puff pastry sheet on the lined tray and score a 1cm-wide border around the edges, then spread the cheese mixture across the pastry up to the scored border. 4. Lay the courgette slices, slightly overlapping, on the cheese mixture, season well with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Scatter over the pine nuts and bake for 16-18 minutes until the pastry edges are nicely browned. 5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly, then drizzle with the honey and sprinkle with the pul biber before serving. Crispy sticky harissa lamb “Cantonese crispy shredded chilli beef is one of my all-time favourite dishes,” says Ghayour. “This is very much my own creation and my nod to that wonderful combination of sweet and sticky, crispy and chewy bites of meat, but using lamb and adding peppers to the mix instead of carrots. It’s an explosion of flavour that ticks every box.” Serves: 3-4 Ingredients: 6 tbsp cornflour 350g lamb leg steaks, cut into 1cm-wide strips Vegetable oil, for frying 1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced into half moons 1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut into very thin strips 5 spring onions, thinly sliced from root to tip, reserve some for garnish Maldon sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper Steamed white rice, to serve For the sauce: 5 tbsp clear honey 4 tbsp rose harissa 3 tbsp rice vinegar 2 tbsp light soy sauce 2 tbsp cornflour Method: 1. Mix the cornflour with a very generous amount of salt and pepper in a mixing bowl, add the strips of lamb and really work the cornflour into the lamb for a minute or so. Set aside. 2. Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, pour in about 2.5cm vegetable oil and bring to frying temperature (add a little bit of a lamb strip: if it sizzles immediately, the oil is hot enough). Line a plate with a double layer of kitchen paper. 3. While the oil is heating up, place a small saucepan over a medium heat, add all the sauce ingredients and whisk together until no lumps of cornflour remain and the mixture is smooth. Heat the sauce through, but do not let it bubble or burn, then remove from the heat. 4. Fry the lamb strips in batches in the hot oil for about two to three minutes, or until very crisp on the outside. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the paper-lined plate to drain. 5. Heat another large frying pan over a high heat, add a drizzle of vegetable oil and stir-fry the onion and red pepper until browned a little. Add the lamb strips followed by the sauce and toss together until evenly coated with the sauce, then add the spring onions and combine well. Serve immediately scattered with the reserved spring onions and alongside steamed white rice. This needs no accompaniment. Tahini, almond and chocolate crumble cookies “I cannot tell you how satisfying these cookies are – so much so that I usually have a bag of the cookie dough balls stashed in my freezer ready for baking whenever the craving hits,” says Ghayour. “The texture is crumbly in an almost sandy way and the absolute optimum moment to enjoy them is 30 minutes out of the oven, when the cookies have cooled down, but the chocolate is still gooey.” Makes: 14 Ingredients: 125g salted butter, softened 125g soft light brown sugar 75g caster sugar ½ tsp ground cinnamon 100g tahini (use the solids and avoid the oil as much as possible) 150g plain flour ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 50g blanched almonds, roughly chopped 200g dark chocolate chunks (70% cocoa solids) Method: 1. Beat the softened butter, sugars and cinnamon together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Then add the tahini and mix until smooth. Next, add the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and mix until evenly combined. Finally, add the almonds and dark chocolate chunks and mix until evenly distributed. 2. Weigh the cookie dough, divide into 14 equal portions and form each into a ball. Chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours, or overnight if preferred. Once chilled, you can then freeze the cookie dough balls for later use. 3. To bake, preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan), gas mark 4. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 4. Place your dough balls, well spaced out, on the lined tray and gently flatten them (omit this stage if using frozen dough). Bake for 16 minutes (or 18 from frozen). Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the tray for 30 minutes, then enjoy. ‘Flavour’ by Sabrina Ghayour (Aster, £26). Read More Four delicious ways to use up leftover pumpkin this Halloween World Pasta Day: Nigella Lawson’s spaghetti with Marmite This speedy king prawn pasta has a supermarket secret weapon Midweek meals: Baked pasta Siciliana with meatballs How to make a classic lasagne Jack Stein’s Cornish mussels with spinach and cider

The wait is finally over. Starbucks has officially unveiled its new menu items for the holiday season, complete with pink holiday cups. Beginning Thursday 2 November, coffee lovers will be able to order their favourite festive flavours from Starbucks, as well as one brand new drink offering. Making its return for the holiday season is the classic Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, and Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte. A new addition to the holiday menu is the Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai, which takes the nostalgic flavour of gingerbread and combines it with creamy oatmilk and a blend of chai spices. The original Gingerbread Latte launched in 2000, and was a mainstay on the Starbucks holiday menu for nearly two decades. “It’s a love letter to gingerbread and ginger,” said Matt Thornton, senior beverage developer at Starbucks. “The gingerbread flavor amplifies the spice of the chai.” Starbucks stores in the United States that serve Oleato, Starbucks coffee infused with olive oil, will offer another new menu item - the Oleato Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte - for a combined flavour similar to freshly baked gingerbread and olive oil cake. “The combination of the Starbucks Blonde Espresso with the steamed oatmilk infused with olive oil is nice and balanced with the gingerbread syrup uplifting all those spice notes,” said Billy Altieri, senior product developer. “It’s cozy and warming with an enjoyable dash of holiday flavors.” To make matters even more festive, the American coffee chain debuted its design for this year’s holiday cups, which include a touch of pink. Bridget Shilling was the artist behind the 2023 holiday cup collection, which comes in four designs: party plaid, peppermint swirl, ribbon spool, and bauble wrap. Meanwhile, iced coffee cups come with ornament-inspired baubles and white sparkles. Each cup also features a gift tag to write notes or share a seasonal sentiment with friends or family. “When we were looking at trends when designing this year’s holiday, we kept seeing bright, bold, uplifting colours,” said Kristy Cameron, creative director at Starbucks. “We found that magenta alongside the holiday reds and greens lifts the traditional holiday colours and makes the red look even brighter.” The theme behind this year’s Starbucks holiday cup collection was “Share the Joy”, highlighting how the “shared human experience and togetherness” is what makes the season so special. “Starbucks red cups are like little wrapped gifts for our partners and customers,” Cameron said. “My hope is that they feel excitement and joy when they see the cups, and that they want to share them with family and friends.” As always, Starbucks included a few festive treats to its holiday menu. The gingerbread loaf, peppermint brownie cake pop, cranberry Bliss Bar, snowman cookie, and the sugar plum cheese danish are sure to get anyone in the holiday mood. Starbucks holiday beverages and pastries are available to order in the US beginning 2 November. Read More Four delicious ways to use up leftover pumpkin this Halloween Restaurant menus are spoiling eating out: ‘They’re supposed to entice, not humiliate’ Best burgers in London: Where to eat top patties in the city

The most spooktacular time of the year is here but – as exciting as Halloween is – shockingly, a whopping 18,000 tons of pumpkin goes to waste every year in the UK. That’s the same weight as 1,500 double-decker buses, which is pretty frightening. Pumpkin isn’t just for making spooky faces out of on Halloween, though – not only are they delicious in a wide range of recipes, but did you know pumpkins also have a whole number of health benefits too? Pumpkins are packed with health benefits. Rich in vitamin C, vitamin A and fibre, this versatile vegetable is really good for eye, gut and heart health, and that’s just the flesh! Pumpkin seeds are a great source of good fats, iron and B vitamins – all important nutrients that support heart, muscle, skin, nervous system and immune health. If you eat enough of them, the seeds are also a good source of protein and fibre – both of which help to regulate blood sugar. Ready to enjoy some yummy pumpkin goodness this Halloween? From classic soup to fancy fondue, here are four recipes that are to die for. Hearty pumpkin soup Serves: 4 Ingredients: 3 cups of pumpkin/vegetable/chicken stock 500g pumpkin puree Large knob of butter 1 chopped onion 2 chopped carrots 1 finely chopped garlic clove 1 cup of cream ½ tsp chopped thyme, salt and pepper Method: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, then add the garlic, onion, carrots, thyme and a pinch of salt and cook for 5-8 minutes or until softened. When cooked, transfer to a food processor and blitz together with the pumpkin puree until smooth, then return to the saucepan, add in the stock. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to very low and add the cream and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Season to taste and serve. Pumpkin ravioli with sage butter Serves: 4 Ingredients: 4 eggs 400g “00” pasta flour 4 tsp olive oil 350g roast pumpkin flesh 100g grated parmesan 15g fresh sage 75g butter Salt and pepper Method: For pumpkin filling: Add the roast pumpkin, grated parmesan and a big pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor and blitz until smooth. For the ravioli: Add the eggs, pasta flour and olive oil to a food processor and blitz until a crumbly mixture forms. Knead the mixture for 10 minutes or until it becomes smooth and elastic, then wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest for 20 minutes. When ready, cut the dough into 4 pieces and roll out into thin pasta sheets (approx 2mm). On one sheet, spoon out a couple of teaspoons of filling every few inches, then brush around each mound of filling with water, place the second sheet on top and cut around each mound with a sharp knife. Crimp the edges of each to seal them. Repeat until all the filling or pasta sheets have been used up, then add the ravioli to a pot of boiling water for 3 minutes or until they float to the top of the water. For the sage butter: Heat the butter in a frying pan until melted and foaming, then add the sage leaves and cook until the leaves crisp up and the butter browns. Season to taste, and drizzle over the cooked ravioli. Pumpkin pickle Ingredients: 500g pumpkin 1 red onion 2 garlic cloves 1 red chilli 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds 1 tsp turmeric 15g knob of ginger 250ml cider vinegar 250ml castor sugar 1 tsp nigella seeds Method: Peel and slice the onions, garlic and ginger. Peel and chop the pumpkin into small bite-size pieces. De-seed and finely chop the red chillies. Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of oil and cook the onion, ginger and chilli for 10-12 min or until softened. Add the mustard seeds, garlic, and turmeric and cook for 1 min. Add the pumpkin, sugar, cider vinegar & a splash of water and cook for 8 min or until the pumpkin has softened and the pickle has thickened. Season with a pinch of salt, sprinkle in the nigella seeds and transfer the mixture to sterilised jars. Pumpkin fondue Ingredients: 1 whole mid-large sized pumpkin 300g of grated mixed cheeses (traditionally gruyere, Emmental and cheddar) 2 tsp cornflour A peeled garlic clove A few glugs of white wine Method: Cut the top off the pumpkin and scrape out the fibrous strands and seeds, then replace the lid and bake in the oven at 180C/160C fan for 1 hr to 1hr 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin flesh is cooked. Meanwhile, mix the cornflour with the grated cheese until it has fully coated the gratings. When the pumpkin has mostly cooked, remove from the oven, take off the lid and place the grated cheese, white wine and garlic clove inside, giving it a mix to combine. Increase the oven temperature a little higher and bake for a further 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling away. When cooked, remove from the oven and serve with bread or crudites for dipping. For more Halloween tips and recipes, visit the Gousto website.

What does a “smacked cucumber” look like? What is a “rutabaga”? Why does a “spiny caldereta” sound so threatening? Is “blackened” just a fancy word for “burnt”? These are some of the many questions diners have to grapple with when they look at a menu in some restaurants these days. But Britons are a shy bunch who would rather curl up in a ball and disappear than actually have to utter these queries out loud to a waiter. I would know – my husband is one of 41 per cent of diners who would choose to google an unfamiliar menu term under the table instead of asking for clarification, according to recent research from reservation service Resy. Whenever me and my husband come across an obscure word on a menu, my suggestion of asking the waiting staff to explain is swiftly shot down by the appearance of his phone, followed by a muttered definition from a search engine. Navigating a menu has become harder in recent years. It’s not just the use of lesser-known techniques, nor the use of alternative words for common ingredients (a rutabaga is a turnip and a cep is a porcini or pennybun mushroom, by the way). With Covid came menus only available via QR code, a development that’s now the bane of eating out – some restaurants still use them. It means having to point our stupid camera phones at stupid, alien-looking squares and scroll through the menu in stupid silence, as if we need to be even more enslaved to our devices than we already are. And then, if menus do get printed, they’re impossible to see because restaurants insist on turning their lights down lower and lower. Or they print the text in smaller and smaller typeface, making it a struggle to read even with 20/20 vision – which I haven’t had since I was 10. I’ll never forget trying to read the menu at the ever-trendy Smoking Goat in Shoreditch in 2019, me and five of my companions sat squinting in the dark with our phone torches on. Going to a restaurant should be a relatively easy endeavour, an experience free of stress and embarrassment. But recent menu trends might be off-putting to the customer, says Gavin Rankin of the Mayfair-based French brasserie restaurant Bellamy’s. “Restaurant menus are supposed to seduce you, to persuade you,” he tells me. “There’s a tendency now to list vegetables or ingredients nobody’s ever heard of, but I don’t like it and people don’t like having to ask questions about what something is because it makes them feel foolish. Restaurants aren’t out to humiliate the diner.” Descriptors that give an idea of texture or flavour are important, but they don’t have to be complicated. It’s definitely possible to achieve a balance between having your menu be stylish and still informative Hugh Richard Wright, restaurant PR But could it be a good thing for menus to spark conversation between a diner and the restaurant? When I ask Rankin this, he blows a raspberry down the phone line, though not rudely – just in exasperation. “There’s something a bit… aggressive about it,” he says. “You can see on some menus they are deliberately choosing to list things that will force people to ask. Keep it simple, in my opinion. It’s different if you’re trying a really unfamiliar cuisine, but not when you go to an English or French restaurant. You should be able to look at a menu and be happy to eat 90 per cent of it with pleasure.” I’m someone who’s quite happy to have a chinwag with the waiter and ask questions about a menu. I also like it when a menu provides the opportunity to learn something new. But Rankin is right in pointing out that many diners don’t like asking questions at all, and menus shouldn’t force a diner into having to enquire about every single item. Hugh Richard Wright, leading restaurant PR and man-about-town with years of eating and consulting experience under his belt, says restaurants need to be mindful of striking the right balance with their menus. “A menu is more than just a list of dishes,” he says. “It should tempt you and excite you, so the descriptions should be tantalising. A menu that makes you want to have a conversation with your server is nice but it’s a balance. You don’t want to have everything explained to you and to go through every dish asking, ‘What’s this, what’s that’. That’s what a lot of places get wrong.” He adds that a menu should give the diner a “realistic impression of what you’re getting on your plate” – a reasonable enough expectation that some restaurants have foregone in favour of just listing ingredients. “For example, ‘pork, leek, kumquat’. It should describe how the pork is cooked. Is it pulled pork? Or roasted? Descriptors that give an idea of texture or flavour are important, but they don’t have to be complicated. It’s definitely possible to achieve a balance between having your menu be stylish and still informative.” David Paw, international editor at Resy, advises that we shouldn’t be put off by a sparse menu. “It may be deliberate,” he says. “The restaurant is setting up the chance for a guest and the front of house staff to engage in a dialogue. I lean into these moments as opportunities to have a chat about ingredients, techniques, and the kitchen’s creative process. I’d encourage diners to always try to ask for more information. Even frequent diners are always learning and expanding their food vocabulary.” It comes down to what kind of experience we’re looking for when we dine out. For some, like Paw and myself, it’s fun and exciting to come across new things on a menu. But for many, given that eating out nowadays is much more of a pricey indulgence than it used to be, relaxation is key, not being challenged. This isn’t to say that every single restaurant should acquiesce to simplicity, but it would be no small potatoes to consider ways to make a diner feel less like they need a thesaurus before sitting down. It doesn’t diminish a fine restaurant to make its menu more accessible – instead, it would make it so much more appealing, bringing incredible food to the many instead of the few. That said, we go to restaurants to eat food we wouldn’t normally cook ourselves, and often food that we’re not familiar with. There is so much joy to be had in allowing new flavours and textures to colour your palate, and the culinary world has never been more creative or diverse than it is right now. So in a time where suspicion of anything unfamiliar is rife, perhaps it would do us all some good to try something new on our plates. Next time you’re stuck, ask your waiter for assistance. I promise they won’t bite. Read More Best burgers in London: Where to eat top patties in the city Why ‘chain’ restaurant shouldn’t be a dirty word Three ramen recipes to change your life Best burgers in London: Where to eat top patties in the city Why ‘chain’ restaurant shouldn’t be a dirty word Three ramen recipes to change your life

“The more ramen I eat, the more I’m drawn to miso ramen,” says chef Tim Anderson. “Thanks to its complex tare and the many textures found in its stir-fried veg topping, it’s just so damn interesting. Cooking and plating are a little different for this one, so make sure you read the method below.” Miso ramen Ingredients: For the broth (makes around 2.4L)): 2 tbsp vegetable oil or animal fat 50g fresh ginger root, thinly sliced 1 onion, quartered 1 garlic bulb, halved 250g chicken skin 250g chicken feet 800g chicken wings 1.5kg chicken frames, roughly chopped ≈3.5L water 4 bay leaves (optional) ½ tsp white pepper For the miso tar (makes 400g): 150g red miso 100g white miso 50g brown rice miso 2 tbsp vegetable oil or animal fat 1 onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 20g fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped 6 tbsp sake 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp sesame seeds, crushed 4 tbsp single cream 4 tbsp Ovaltine or malt powder 30g parmesan or mature cheddar, finely grated 1 tbsp shoyu For the garlic sesame oil (makes 80ml): 45ml vegetable oil or lard 60ml sesame oil 30g garlic (about 8 cloves), very thinly sliced For the toppings (makes enough for 4 bowls): 1 tbsp lard or vegetable oil ½ an onion, thinly sliced 100g minced meat (pork is typical but chicken, turkey or vegan mince work, too) ¼ of an hispi or flat cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped ½ a small carrot, cut into planks about 3mm thick A big handful of bean sprouts A few mangetout ¼ of a red pepper, thinly sliced A small pinch of salt and/or MSG (optional) 1 tsp sesame oil, or aroma oil of your choice Menma (tinned bamboo shoots) Shredded spring onions (scallions) or leeks Shop-bought noodles Optional toppings: Corn Butter Chilli oil Spinach or wakame Parmesan Beni shōga (red pickled ginger, sharp, sweet and artificially coloured. Good with tonkotsu) Sesame seeds Ajitama (ramen egg) Method: 1. Make the broth: Heat the oil or fat in a roasting tray in a fan oven set to 200C (425F), then add all of the vegetables and chicken parts and roast for 40 minutes, turning everything once halfway through cooking. Remove the vegetables with tongs and set aside. Tip the chicken parts and any drippings from the tray into a stock pot and add the water (enough to cover) and bay leaves, and set over a high heat. Boil hard for four hours, topping up the water as needed to maintain the water level. After four hours, add the veg and the white pepper, and continue to boil for another two hours. In the final hour, stop topping up the water and allow it to reduce slightly. Remove from the heat, then bring back to a high simmer if using immediately. Remember to re-emulsify the broth with an immersion blender before serving. 2. Make the miso tare: Stir together the three types of miso until well mixed. Heat the oil or fat in a small saucepan over a medium-high heat, then add the onion, garlic and ginger. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until everything softens and begins to colour, then add roughly half of the miso mixture and continue to cook for another seven to eight minutes, until the miso darkens as well. Whisk in the sake and boil for three to four minutes to cook off the alcohol, then add the sesame oil, sesame seeds and the cream. Bring to the boil and cook for another three to four minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, leave to cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the Ovaltine, cheese, shōyu and remaining miso mixture. Transfer everything to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. 3. Make the garlic sesame oil: Pour the vegetable oil and one tablespoon of the sesame oil into a small saucepan and stir in the garlic, ensuring that none of the slices are stuck to each other. Set over a low heat and cook gently for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is evenly golden brown (the reason for keeping the heat low is to cook off all of the garlic’s moisture before it begins to colour). Once the garlic is lightly browned (we’re looking for gold, not bronze), remove it with a slotted spoon, fork or similar, drain on paper towels and leave to cool. Leave the oil to cool for about 10 minutes, then tip into a jar and add the remaining sesame oil. Once the garlic chips have cooled, crush them into small pieces and keep in an airtight container lined with paper towels. 4. Make the toppings: Have all of your veg prepped and ready to go, because the cooking here should be very quick. In a wok or frying pan, heat the lard or oil over a high heat and add the onion and mince and stir-fry for a couple minutes, then add the cabbage and carrot and continue to stir-fry for two to three minutes until everything is wilted but still crunchy. Add the bean sprouts and mangetout and continue to stir-fry for another two to three minutes, then add the pepper and salt and/or MSG (use this sparingly, or not at all, if you’re going to boil the mixture in seasoned soup). Stir-fry for a further two minutes or so, then remove from the heat and stir in the sesame or aroma oil. 5. Build the ramen: You can build this bowl as you would any other ramen, but I think it’s tastier the way many shops in Sapporo do it, which is to combine everything in a wok and then transfer it to the bowl. Start with the stir-fry and when it’s done, stir in the tare, then the broth. Whisk to combine and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a separate pot of boiling water, and when they’re done, drain well and tip them into bowls. Pour the broth from the wok over the noodles along with the stir-fried and boiled veg, keeping the veg on top of the noodles as you portion them out. The fat can either be added to the bowl or to the wok; if you add it to the wok it will become emulsified with the broth upon boiling, but it will taste the same. If topping with butter and corn, add cold butter at the last minute, just before serving. ‘Nothing special’ ramen “Sometimes the ramen craving strikes and there’s no ramen to be found – what do you do? Instant ramen does the job, of course, and some of it is excellent, especially if you’re able to add good toppings,” says Anderson. “But even that is sometimes unavailable. This recipe is designed to tick the proper ramen box from common refrigerator and store cupboard ingredients – when you don’t have any good broth, nor tare, nor oils, nor nothing!” Serves: 1 Ingredients: 20g lard 80g minced pork 2 anchovies ½ an onion, thinly sliced A big handful of bean sprouts 2 garlic cloves, grated 1 tbsp sesame oil 2 tbsp red miso 1 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp white wine 1 tbsp tomato purée 2 tbsp shōyu 1 tbsp peanut butter or tahini A pinch each of white pepper and smoked paprika 500ml water 1 tbsp grated parmesan or cheddar 1 portion shop-bought noodles A big pinch of sesame seeds 1 spring onion, thinly sliced Chilli oil, to taste (optional) Salt, to taste Method: 1. In a wok or medium saucepan, melt the lard over a high heat and add the pork mince, anchovies and onion. Stir-fry for a few minutes, breaking up the anchovies as you go, until the pork is cooked through and the onion has begun to soften. Toss in the bean sprouts and garlic and stir-fry for another one to two minutes, then tip everything out into a bowl. 2. Add the sesame oil to the pan and set over a medium heat, then add the miso and sugar and fry it for a few minutes until the aroma becomes rich and caramel-like. Stir in the white wine, tomato purée, shōyu and peanut butter or tahini and cook for another few minutes, then add the pepper, paprika, water and cheese. 3. Bring to the boil, add the noodles and cook them to your liking. Once they’re done, taste the broth and add salt or more water as needed – different noodles will absorb different amounts of liquid, so you’ll have to adjust for this accordingly. 4. Transfer the broth and noodles to a bowl and top with the stir-fried mince and veg and garnish with the sesame seeds and spring onion. Add as much chilli oil as you like. Yu Xiang aubergine mixed noodles This recipe is inspired by aburasoba – a soupless ramen dish where the noodles are served in a bowl with tare (dipping sauce) and oil at the bottom and toppings on top, which is then mixed together at the table. “I’m tempted to call it an aburasoba… but it would not resemble any aburasoba I’ve seen in Japan,” says Anderson. “Aw heck, let’s just say it’s mixed noodles and call it a day!” Serves: 2 Ingredients: 1 large or 2 small dried shiitake mushrooms 150ml just-boiled water 1 large aubergine Oil, as needed for shallow-frying 1 tsp cornflour 2 tbsp shōyu 1 tbsp dark red miso (such as Hatchō miso) 1 tbsp oyster sauce 2 tbsp Chinkiang vinegar, Japanese black vinegar or similar, plus extra to taste 1 red pepper or a handful of small, sweet peppers, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 15g fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped 1-2 dried red chillies, or a few pinches of chilli flakes (to taste) 3 tbsp light brown sugar 1 tbsp sesame oil 2 portions noodles 2 spring onions, thinly sliced at an angle 2 egg yolks 50-60g Menma or tinned bamboo shoots Chilli oil, to taste Method: 1. Place the shiitake mushrooms in a small dish and cover them with the boiled water, then leave to rehydrate for about an hour. Meanwhile, cut the aubergine into batons or prisms about 2cm thick, and pour the oil into a large frying pan or wok to a depth of about 1cm. 2. Heat over a medium-high heat for a few minutes, then test the temperature by placing a piece of aubergine into the oil. If it sizzles vigorously immediately, the oil is ready. Add all of the aubergine to the oil and fry for about five to six minutes, turning often, until richly browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain well on paper towels. Tip the oil out into a heatproof container, but leave about one tablespoon oil or so in the pan. 3. Once the mushrooms have rehydrated, remove their stems and cut them into thin slices. Stir the cornflour into the resulting mushroom dashi and stir together the shōyu, miso, oyster sauce and vinegar in a separate bowl until no lumps of miso remain. 4. Ensure you have all of your prep ready to go before cooking, because the pace needs to be fairly quick once you begin. Place the pan with the reserved one tablespoon oil back over a high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the peppers and stir-fry for two to three minutes until browned. 5. Add the garlic, ginger and chillies, and stir-fry for another one to two minutes, then add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and sugar and stir-fry briefly so the sugar melts and bubbles. 6. Add the liquid seasoning mixture and stir well, then add the cornflour and mushroom dashi mixture and bring to the boil so it thickens. Finally, tip in the fried aubergine and stir well to coat. Reduce the heat to low to keep warm while you cook the noodles. 7. Divide the sesame oil between the two bowls and add a few spoonfuls of the aubergine sauce to each one. 8. Boil the noodles until tender, then drain well and tip into the sauce. Stir the noodles through the sauce, then top with the aubergine and its sauce, and garnish with the spring onions, eggs and menma. Serve with chilli oil and extra vinegar – add as much as you like. ‘Ramen Forever: Recipes For Ramen Success’ by Tim Anderson (Hardie Grant, £26). Read More World Pasta Day: Nigella Lawson’s spaghetti with Marmite This speedy king prawn pasta has a supermarket secret weapon Midweek meals: Baked pasta Siciliana with meatballs How to make a classic lasagne Dear Pret, this is what a £7 sandwich should look like Jack Stein’s Cornish mussels with spinach and cider

Marmite. You either love it or you hate it. Nigella Lawson loves it. “I know the combination of pasta and Marmite sounds odd to the point of unfeasibility, but wait a moment,” she writes on her blog. She stumbled across a recipe for a “day-after-the-roast pasta dish” in Italian-British food writer Anna Del Conte’s memoirs and, realising Marmite’s potential as a replacement for the umami-ness of a stock cube, has been making a version of it on repeat ever since. “I haven’t as yet found a child who doesn’t like it,” she says. The simple and speedy dish requires just four easy-to-find ingredients: spaghetti, butter, parmesan (or vegan equivalent) and Marmite. Packed with saltiness and savouriness, Lawson’s spaghetti with Marmite makes for a tasty midweek meal and, as an added benefit, its main ingredient is also high in vitamin B. Nigella Lawson’s spaghetti with Marmite Serves: 4-6 Ingredients: 375g spaghetti 50g unsalted butter 1 tsp Marmite Original (8g) Freshly grated parmesan cheese (to serve) For vegans, replace the parmesan cheese and butter with a plant-based alternative. Method: Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water, according to the packet instructions. When the pasta is almost cooked, melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the Marmite and 1 tablespoon of the pasta water, mixing thoroughly to dissolve. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water; then drain the pasta and pour the Marmite mixture over the drained spaghetti, adding a little reserved pasta water to amalgamate if required. Serve with plenty of grated parmesan cheese. Read More This speedy king prawn pasta has a supermarket secret weapon Midweek meals: Baked pasta Siciliana with meatballs How to make a classic lasagne Dear Pret, this is what a £7 sandwich should look like Jack Stein’s Cornish mussels with spinach and cider Pub grub: Three recipes from Tom Kerridge’s new cookbook

Combing pasta al forno (baked pasta) and pasta alla Siciliana, plus meatballs, this hybrid pasta bake brings a taste of the Med to your midweek meals. Baked pasta Siciliana with meatballs Recipe by: Aldi Serves: 6 Prep time: 30 minutes | Cooking time: 40 minutes Ingredients: 250g rigatoni 1 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, finely diced 1 garlic clove, finely diced 1 pack beef meatballs 1 large aubergine, chopped into 1cm cubes 2 x 400g tins tomatoes 215g mozzarella, drained 45g salami To serve: Fresh basil Method: Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and lightly fry the onion and garlic. Add the meatballs and cook until browned. Add the aubergine and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and pour into the baking dish. Tear the salami and mozzarella over the top of the pasta. Bake for 15 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned golden. Garnish with fresh basil leaves. For more recipe inspiration, visit www.aldi.co.uk/recipes Read More World Pasta Day: Nigella Lawson’s spaghetti with Marmite This speedy king prawn pasta has a supermarket secret weapon How to make a classic lasagne Dear Pret, this is what a £7 sandwich should look like Jack Stein’s Cornish mussels with spinach and cider Pub grub: Three recipes from Tom Kerridge’s new cookbook

Even skilled cooks rely on shortcuts from time to time. Shop-bought sun-dried tomato sauce is the secret weapon in this speedy seafood supper, ready in just 40 minutes. Using frozen prawns also minimises on food waste and ensures you always have the ingredients to hand. King prawn pappardelle Recipe by: Aldi Serves: 2 Prep time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes Ingredients: 180g pack frozen king prawns 8 sheets lasagne pasta 1 small red onion 1 courgette 1 clove garlic 1 lemon 150g tub stir-in sun-dried tomato sauce 60g lighter creme fraiche ½ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp chilli powder 1 heaped tsp paprika 60ml white wine 30ml olive oil Sea salt To garnish: Black pepper Basil leaves Method: Defrost the prawns, then drain and pat dry. Half fill a large roasting tin with boiling water and add 15ml olive oil. Soak the sheets of pasta for 10 minutes to soften. Remove them and cut each sheet into 3 strips lengthways. Put the pasta to one side. Don’t overlap the strips, as they will stick together. Peel and finely chop the red onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Grate the courgette. Cut the lemon in half. Juice one half and use the other half as a garnish. In a large frying pan, sauté the onion and garlic gently in the olive oil for 4 minutes. Add the prawns and sauté for another 4 minutes. Add the white wine, chilli powder, paprika, oregano and the lemon juice and gently cook for 4 minutes. Add the stir-in sauce and the grated courgette, cooking for another 4 minutes. Add the crème fraîche and stir through. Cook the pasta strips in some salted boiling water with a splash of olive oil for 5 to 6 minutes until just cooked, then drain carefully. Divide the pasta between 2 plates and spoon over the sauce. Garnish with some lemon, fresh basil and black pepper. For more recipe inspiration, visit www.aldi.co.uk/recipes Read More World Pasta Day: Nigella Lawson’s spaghetti with Marmite Midweek meals: Baked pasta Siciliana with meatballs How to make a classic lasagne Dear Pret, this is what a £7 sandwich should look like Jack Stein’s Cornish mussels with spinach and cider Pub grub: Three recipes from Tom Kerridge’s new cookbook

Nothing says comfort food like a classic lasagne. It’s great for feeding a crowd, freezes well, and the leftovers will keep you happy for days. With rich ragu, tender pasta and a golden, bubbling cheese crust, it delivers on the three pillars of good Italian home cooking – and in just 90 minutes, to boot. Cut corners at your peril – making the ragu and the bechemel from scratch is worth the extra elbow grease. Classic lasagne A classic Italian dish – great for lunch or dinner. Recipe by: Aldi Serves: 4 Prep time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 70 minutes Ingredients: 500g steak minced beef 1 large onion 1 stick celery 1 red pepper 2 cloves garlic 400g tin chopped tomatoes 2 tsp paprika 2 tsp pesto 1 tsp dried oregano 25g tomato puree 25ml olive oil 1 beef stock cube 6 sheets lasagne pasta 50g plain flour 60g butter 650ml semi skimmed milk 100g soft cheese 1 tsp English mustard 80g grated mature cheddar cheese Sea salt, white and black pepper Method: Peel, halve and finely chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic. Wipe the celery and finely chop. Finely chop the red pepper, discarding any pith or seeds. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, pepper and the celery. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the mince and brown. Add the tinned tomatoes and crumble over the stock cube. Add the pesto, paprika, tomato purée, oregano and season with some salt and plenty of black pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, without a lid, stirring occasionally. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Meanwhile, make the white sauce. In a medium saucepan melt the butter. Then add the flour and cook for a minute. Add the milk, white pepper and the mustard. Slowly bring to the boil, stirring as you cook. Turn down the heat and cook for a couple of minutes, then whisk in the soft cheese until you have a smooth, thick sauce. Put half the meat mixture in the bottom of the dish, then lay 3 slices of the pasta on top in a line. Pour over half the white sauce. Sprinkle over half the grated cheese. Then repeat with the remaining ingredients. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until browned. For more recipe inspiration, visit www.aldi.co.uk/recipes Read More World Pasta Day: Nigella Lawson’s spaghetti with Marmite This speedy king prawn pasta has a supermarket secret weapon Midweek meals: Baked pasta Siciliana with meatballs Dear Pret, this is what a £7 sandwich should look like Jack Stein’s Cornish mussels with spinach and cider Pub grub: Three recipes from Tom Kerridge’s new cookbook