THAI GINGER TEA RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
  2. Wash the squash, carefully cut it in half lengthways and remove the seeds, then cut into wedges. In a roasting tray, toss with 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then roast for around 1 hour, or until tender and golden.
  3. For the paste, toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for 2 minutes, then tip into a food processor.
  4. Peel, roughly chop and add the garlic, shallots and ginger, along with the kaffir lime leaves, 2 tablespoons of groundnut oil, the fish sauce, chillies (pull off the stalks), coconut and most of the coriander (stalks and all).
  5. Bash the lemongrass, remove and discard the outer layer, then snap into the processor, squeeze in the lime juice and blitz into a paste, scraping down the sides halfway.
  6. Put 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil into a large casserole pan on a medium heat with the curry paste and fry for 5 minutes to get the flavours going, stirring regularly.
  7. Tip in the coconut milk and half a tin’s worth of water, then simmer and thicken on a low heat for 5 minutes.
  8. Stir in the roasted squash, roughly chop and add the leftover greens and leave to tick away on the lowest heat, then taste and season to perfection.
  9. Meanwhile, cube the tofu and fry in a pan on a medium- high heat with 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil for 2 minutes, or until golden.
  10. Crush the peanuts in a pestle and mortar and toast in the tofu pan until lightly golden.
  11. Serve the curry topped with the golden tofu and peanuts, drizzled with a little sesame oil. Slice the chilli and sprinkle over with the reserved coriander leaves. Serve with lime wedges, for squeezing over. Great with sticky rice.

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine fennel seed, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger root, peppercorns and water. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and steep for 10 minutes. Add the tea, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
• Strain mixture, discard spices and return the tea to the saucepan. Stir in the brown sugar and milk. Serve immediately.