I feel like cabbage is so underrated,” says Philli Armitage-Mattin.
“It’s one of the most cost-effective vegetables that, when treated right, becomes a highlight of many restaurant-goers’ meals. Let me share with you how restaurants make cabbage the most delicious dish you eat.”
Smoky hispi cabbage with chilli oil
Serves: 4 as a side
Ingredients:
1 hispi cabbage or sweetheart cabbage
2 tbsp olive oil
Large pinch of salt
2 tbsp butter or plant-based butter
½ tbsp lemon juice
6 tbsp mascarpone, softened
1 tbsp shop-bought chilli oil
½ bunch chives, chopped
2 tbsp crispy shallots
Method:
1. Peel away the outer leaves and quarter the cabbage.
2. Heat a large frying pan (preferably cast iron) with olive oil and sprinkle salt over the cut side of the cabbage.
3. Sear the cabbage on the cut sides until all the surface is charred.
4. Flip so the cut side is face up and add enough water to just cover half of the cabbage, as well as the butter.
5. Allow to poach until all the water is evaporated, turning the cabbage gently with tongs every five minutes. The cabbage should be completely tender. When the water has nearly evaporated, turn off the heat and coat the cabbage in the melted butter from the pan using a spoon. Finish with the lemon juice.
6. Whisk the mascarpone with a fork and smear it onto a plate using the back of a spoon. Add the cabbage and drizzle with the remaining butter and chilli oil, then top with chopped chives and crispy things.
Taste everything all together and adjust; if you want more spice, add chilli oil or if it’s too hot add more mascarpone.
Vietnamese-inspired caramelised pork bowls
“You know that overused spag bol or chilli con carne that you love but are a little tired of? Let me introduce the caramelised pork bowl,” says Armitage-Mattin.
“It’s ready in under 30 minutes and it’s super, super tasty.”
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 tbsp neutral oil
6 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts separately
2 carrots, grated or finely chopped (I like to use a mandoline but be careful)
Pinch of salt
2.5cm piece of ginger, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4-8 bird’s eye or Thai chillies, finely sliced
500g pork, minced
5 tbsp/60g brown sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp roasted peanuts, crushed1 lime, wedged
Handful of coriander, chopped
Handful of mint, chopped
To serve:
Steamed jasmine rice
Method:
1. If you’re serving with rice, get your rice on the go first.
2. Heat a wok over a medium-high heat with the oil, then add the spring onions (white parts only), half the carrots and the salt. Cook for three to four minutes, stirring constantly. You’re looking for the carrot to turn slightly limp. Add the ginger, garlic and chillies and cook for a further minute until aromatic.
3. Add the pork mince to the wok and turn up to a high heat, breaking up all the meat with a spatula to make sure all the pork turns white and there are no pink bits.
4. Add the brown sugar, fish sauce and soy sauce. Give everything a stir before leaving it to fully cook down and caramelise without stirring for about six to eight minutes. Stir again and then let everything fully caramelise again for about 60 seconds. Repeat until the meat is dark brown and there are little crispy bits of pork. However, keep an eye on it because it can burn quickly.
5. Taste adjust to your flavour profile, and serve over rice with chilli flakes, the rest of the spring onions, roasted peanuts, lime wedges and chopped fresh herbs.
Mango crumble with chai custard
“There’s nothing more comforting than a crumble – sweet indulgence at its finest – and pairing it with warming chai spice,” says Armitage-Mattin.
“I love a cup of chai and for this recipe I make the custard by infusing the milk with beaut chai spices.”
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
For the filling:
4 mangoes, about 600g, peeled and diced
60g sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the crumble topping:
150g plain flour
70g sugar
½tsp salt
100g butter, at room temperature, diced
For the chai creme anglaise (custard):
300ml whole milk
300ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, split and scraped, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cinnamon stick or ½ tsp ground cinnamon
6 x 5mm slices of ginger
2 black tea bags
2 star anise (optional)
2 cloves (optional)
2 cardamom pods (optional)
3 egg yolks
6 tbsp sugar
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220C (200C fan oven) gas mark 6.
2. Put the mangoes, sugar, ground cinnamon and 50 millilitres of water in a saucepan and heat for five minutes until all the sugar is dissolved. Then place in your oven dish.
3. Place the flour, sugar, salt and butter in a bowl and crumble together using the tips of your fingers until all the butter is incorporated and it’s a crumbly texture.
4. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the mango and cook in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until the topping looks golden and the edges are bubbling.
5. Make the chai custard by heating the milk and cream in a saucepan with all the spices and tea bags over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until a caramel colour and smelling fragrant.
6. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl. Then use a sieve to strain the infused milky cream over the yolks, in three additions, whisking in between.
7. Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan and whisk while cooking it over a low heat until thickened – it should just coat the back of a spoon. Keep the custard on the lowest setting if serving immediately. If serving later, pour into a heatproof container and cover with cling film so that the film touches the custard, otherwise you’ll get a skin.
8. Once the crumble topping begins to brown, remove the crumble from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving with the hot chai custard.
‘Taste Kitchen: Asia: Six Flavours To Suit Every Taste’ by Philli Armitage-Mattin (published by Robinson, £26; photography by Phoebe Pearson), available 1 September.
