They may be a support act, but great side dishes can transform a meal. Breads, salads, rice, potatoes and veggies, some can even be transformed into the main attraction with a little inspiration. Here are my favourite side dish recipes.
Sambal Terasi Goreng Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Indonesian cooking class! Sambal terasi goreng is the most common of the many sambals found throughout Indonesia. Sambal means chilli sauce and terasi is Indonesia’s pungent shrimp paste, virtually identical to Malaysian belacan and similar to Thai gapi. Sambal terasi originated in Java, where it’s […]
Acar (Indonesian Pickles) Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Indonesian cooking class! Acar are the slightly sweet, sour, spicy pickles that accompany almost every meal in Indonesia. They’re popular in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei as well and are similar to Indian achar and Thai ajat. Acar keeps well in the fridge for several months […]
Satay Sauce(Sambal Kacang) Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Indonesian cooking class! This Indonesian satay sauce recipe was taught to me by chef Hasan Yeoh from Kko Kko Balinese restaurant. It makes a thick peanut paste that keeps in the fridge for a couple of months. When you’re ready to serve, mix it with […]
Gai Lan with Garlic Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Caribbean cooking class inspired by Paul Carmichael! Chef Paul Carmichael taught me this way of preparing gai lan (also known as Chinese broccoli). It makes an easy side dish to serve with almost anything, from Caribbean escovitch (see video below) to an Asian curry […]
Quick Kimchi Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Asian home cooking class inspired by Cheong Liew! Kimchi, Korean spicy pickled cabbage, is a great side dish with almost anything. Cabbage ferments quickly, especially if you start it off at room temperature for a day. Kimchi is even delicious eaten as soon it’s made, without […]
Insalata di Radicchio e Crostini Like this recipe? Eat radicchio e bruciatini in Ravenna on my small group food & wine tour of Northern Italy. Insalata di radicchio e bruciatini is a classic salad from Romagna, the eastern half of Emilia-Romagna. The name ‘bruciatini’ means burned and refers to the colour of the cubes of […]
Piadina Romagnola Learn to Make Piadina at Casa Artusi in Romagna on my Small Group Italian Food & Wine Tour Everywhere you go in Romagna, you’re served this flatbread. I was taught to make it by a local lady at Casa Artusi in Forlimpopoli, a cooking school and foundation dedicated to the work of Italy’s […]
Muhammara Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Turkish cooking class inspired by Somer Sivrioglu! Muhammara is an easy Turkish capsicum and walnut dip that’s so delicious, you’ll be whipping it up to serve alongside everything. It’s especially good with seafood and a wonderful addition to a mezze table. I like to oven roast capsicum […]
Borani Laboo (Persian Beetroot & Yoghurt Dip) Like this recipe? You’ll love my online Persian cooking class! Persian food is colourful, tasty and healthy. Borani (sometimes written burani or boorani) are Persian vegetable dips made with a tangy yoghurt base, that fire up the appetite for what’s to come and also cut through the rich […]
Rösti Discover more Swiss regional specialties on my small group food & wine tour of Switzerland! Talking about a ‘potato’ rösti in Switzerland is redundant (like ‘cheese’ fondue) as there’s only one type of true rösti and it’s made from potato. Swiss menus don’t generally offer much for vegetarians, but most have rösti with either […]
