October's Top Tips

This month’s free sample, AUTUMN TAGINE SPICES, is a lovely, warming combination of fragrant spices to transport you to the heart of Morocco - just as the first nippy days of autumn set in. Featuring cassia, turmeric and allspice, this blend is sure to provide comfort for a gloomy evening.

No need to go out and buy a fancy tagine for this dish - a large, lidded pan works just fine to create this hearty and delicious North African-inspired meal.

Our Ingredient of the Month, the rare and unique Vietnamese Wild Forest Pepper is a true gem in our selection of peppers

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Grown in the far north west of Vietnam,  it’s hand-picked from tall prickly ash trees then roasted in large metal pans over wood fires by the ethnic minorities who live in the forests. With a flavour that is reminiscent of szechuan pepper but not quite as mouth-numbingly potent, this strangely addictive pepper has citrusy notes with warm and woodsy overtones.

To bring out all of its unique flavours, it's best to toast and then grind the pepper (be sure to pick out the prickly stems before grinding!) - it's ideal for adding to green vegetables as well as roast meats, soups and dals or any dish that could benefit from a citrusy lift. 

Our own Tung gives this recipe for a very traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce called Muối Tiêu Chanh, to be used as a condiment to accompany chicken or as a dressing for salads.

 Muối Tiêu Chanh

(Serves 2)

For the sauce:

• 3/4 tsp Wild Forest Pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 lime

To serve:

• 2 chicken breasts
• a small piece of ginger - thinly sliced to make 1/2 tbsp
• 3 spring onions - sliced into 1cm lengths (including the green bits)
• Rice to serve 2

Toast the Wild Forest Pepper until fragrant. Grind the pepper to the texture of coarse salt, then add 2tsp salt and 1tsp sugar. Add the juice of half a lime then leave to one side.

Place the chicken and the ginger pieces over the chicken then steam for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Cook the rice now.

Serve the chicken with the plain rice and the Muối Tiêu Chanh on the side.