Kohlrabi is a round, purple or green stem that looks like a turnip. The leaves, which can be cooked as for spinach, are often trimmed off before the vegetable is sold.

Look for small kohlrabi that are not much bigger than a tennis ball and stuff them, or steam to serve as a hot vegetable accompaniment. If you find leaves attached, trim and shred them, then steam briefly to serve over the halved or quartered globes of the cooked stem.

As it is a member of the cabbage family, the spicy warmth of kohlrabi is best brought out by blanching.

Kohlrabi and Cress Salad Recipe
Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 minute

Ingredients:
500 g kohlrabi
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 red-skinned apple
4 slim spring onions
Black pepper
1 carton mustard and cress

For the dressing:
1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Salt
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons natural yoghurt

Method:
Peel the kohlrabi, then grate it coarsely into a saucepan. Pour on boiling water and cook it just until it returns to the boil. Drain and refresh immediately under a cold tap. Squeeze the lemon juice into a small bowl and half fill it with cold water. Quarter and core the apple then coarsely grate it into the bowl. Drain the apple, mix it with the kohlrabi and dry thoroughly, either in a salad spinner or with a tea towel before transferring it to a salad bowl. Finely slice the spring onions and add to the bowl with some coarsely ground black pepper. Mix the mustard, vinegar and salt in a small screw-top jar and shake until combined. Add the olive oil and yoghurt, shake vigorously again and toss into the salad with another good grinding of black pepper. Cut the mustard and cress and spread over the salad, tossing again immediately before serving.

Preparation time: 20 minutes + at least 6 hours freezing
Cooking time: None
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
1 kg prepared frsh berries such as blackberries, raspberries or strawberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
350 g (2 cups) icing sugar
600 ml fresh cream

Method:
Put the fruit, lemon juice and icing sugar into a food processor and blend until smooth. With a wooden spoon, press the mixture through a nylon sieve into a large bowl, then discard the seeds. Alternatively, if you have no food processor, start by pushing the fruit through a nylon sieve set over a large bowl. Then mix the fruit puree with the lemon juice and icing sugar, stirring well.

Whip the cream until it forms very soft peaks, then fold it gently into the fruit mixture. To freeze the mixture without an ice-cream machine, pour it into a metal or plastic container, cover and freeze for about 1.5 hours until the edges of the ice cream are frozen and the center is soft. Remove from the freezer and beat until the whole mixture is slushy then return to the freezer. Repeat this process at least twice more. For maximum flavor, eat within two weeks.

Variation:
For a smoother custard base, mix a few drops of vanilla essence into 500 ml milk and heat gently. Whisk 5 egg yolks with 60 g sugar and stir this into the hot milk. Heat gently, stirring, until it thickens, then leave it to cool. Fold the custard instead of the cream into the fruit puree then freeze.

Many experienced cooks prefer to use a knife to cursh garlic because garlic crushers can be hard to clean and may harbor stale remnants that can taint the next dish. Crushing garlic also releases acrid-tasting chemicals. This is not a problem if the garlic is to be heated, as it is mellowed by cooking, but garlic to be eaten raw has a more refined flavor if it is carefully minced by hand.

** Asian Online Recipes **

Makes: 750 ml
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:
750 g prepared fruit, such as blackberries, boysenberries, loganberries, raspberries, strawberries, redcurrants or blackcurrants
125 - 250 g (0.5 - 1 cup) caster sugar

Method:
Put all the fruits into a heatproof bowl. If you are using blackberries, boysenberries, loganberries, raspberries or strawberries, add 90 ml of cold water; if using redcurrants, add 200 ml of water; and if using blackcurrants, add 600 ml of water. Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat for some 20-30 minutes until the juice flows freely. Occasionally crush the fruit with a potato masher to help to extract the juice. When the fruit is very soft, take the bowl off the heat. Scald a nylon or stainless-steel sieve, a large bowl and a large square of muslin with boiling water; drain the bowl and sieve and sring out the muslin. Place the sieve over the bowl and line it with the muslin.

Pour the pulped fruit and syrup into the sieve and leave it to drain for about 20 minutes until almost all of the juice has dripped through the sieve into the bowl. Take two opposite sides of the muslin and fold them over the fruit so that it forms a secure parcel. Twist the ends of the muslin tightly in opposite directions to squeze out all the remaining juice. Once the juice has been extracted, discard the pips and dry pulp remaining in the muslin. This method produces a clear, smooth syrup. For a grainier, more textured juice, you can use a nylon sieve without the muslin.

Pour the fruit juice into a clean, stailess-steel or enamel saucepan. Add the sugar gradually, a tablespoon at a time, until sweetened to taste - sweet fruits such as boysenberries, raspberries and strawberries will need about 125 g (1/2 cup) while the other fruits will require more. Place the saucepan over a low heat and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, but do not allow the syrup to become too hot. Pour into clean and preferably sterilized bottles, seal with a tight-fitting lid and store refrigerated for up to three months.

To serve, pour the syrup onto ice and dilute to taste, using about one part syrup to two or three parts mineral, soda, tonic or drinking water.

** Asian Online Recipes **

Makes: about 2.5 kg
Preparation time: 30 minutes plus
Maturing time of at least 4 weeks
Cooking: none

Ingredients:
350 g (2 cups) seedless raisins
350 g (2 cups) sultanas
250 g (1.5 cups) currants
175 g (1 cup) chopped mixed peel
500 g cooking apples (peeled, cored and coarsely grated)
250 g butter, melted
350 g (2 cups) dark brown sugar
50 g (1/3 cup) blanched almonds, chopped, optional
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange
3 teaspoons ground mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
150 ml brandy

Method:
Pick over the dried fruits and remove any stalks; wash and dry only if necessary. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix together thoroughly. Put the mixture into clean, sterilized jars then cover, seal tightly and store in the refrigerator. Allow the fruit mince to stand for only four weeks before it is used as this gives it time to mature.

** Asian Online Recipes **

Serves: 6
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: none

Ingredients:
60 g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 passionfruits
1 large, ripe mango
1 large, ripe pawpaw
750 g pineapple
250 g fresh dates
12 lychees or rambutans
4 tablespoons rum
To decorate: a few cape gooseberries, optional

Method:
Put the sugar, cinnamon and cardamom into a small bowl and mix together well. Cut the passionfruit in half and scoop the pulp out into a bowl. Peel and slice the mango and the pawpaw. Skin, quarter and core the pineapple then dice the flesh. Halve and stone the dates, peel and stone the lychees or rambutans.

Put all of the prepared fruits into the bowl with the passionfruit pulp, sprinkle in the spiced sugar, pour in the rum and gently mix together. Cover and macerate the fruits in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Just before serving, transfer the fruits and the flavored juices to a serving bowl and decorate with the cape gooseberries, which should have their leaves pulled back. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

Serves: 6
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
60 g (1/4 cup) white sugar
3 limes, well scrubbed under warm, running water
2 green dessert apples, washed
2 ripe, firm pears, washed
750 g green-fleshed galia or honeydrew melon
3 kiwifruit
250 g seedless green grapes, washed
To decorate: sprigs of fresh lemon balm, optional

Method:
Pour 500 ml of cold water into a small stainless steel or enamel saucepan and add the sugar. Pare the rind from the limes using a zester or peeler and add it to the pan. Stir over a moderate heat until the sugar has completely dissolved, then bring the sugar syrup to the boil and simmer it for 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Squeeze the juice from the pared limes, stir it into the sugar syrup and then pour the flavored syrup into a large serving bowl. Working quickly, quarter and core the apples and slice them directly into the hot lime syrup. Then peel, quarter and core the pears and slice them into the syrup as well.

Cut the melon in half, remove the seeds and then either scoop out the flesh with a melon baller or cut it into cubes. Add the melon and any remaining juice to the bowl. Peel and slice the kiwifruit and add them to the fruit salad with the grapes. Stir the fruits together gently, cover the bowl and leave to chill for 1-2 hours before serving. Serve the salad at room temperature or slightly chilled, decorated with lemon balm, if using.

** Asian Online Recipes **

Serves: 6
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
* For the caramel *
250 g (1 cup) white sugar
4 tablespoons water

* For the fruit salad *
6 medium oranges
2 grapefruit
3 large, ripe peaches
3 large, ripe nectarines

Methods:
To make the caramel, line a small baking tray with nonstick baking paper and set aside. Make the sugar syrup by putting the sugar and water in a saucepan and heating gently until dissolved, without stirring. Brush down any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan with water. Bring it to the boil and cook until it turns a golden color. Immediately pour the caramel onto the lined baking tray and set it aside until cooled and set hard. As the caramel will have formed only a thin layer, it should set in 10-15 minutes in a cool place.

To make the fruit salad, peel the oranges and grapefruit, cutting the oranges into thin slices and the grapefruit into segments. Halve, stone and skin the peaches and nectarines, if you wish, then cut them into neat slices, cutting across the halves for a more attractive slice.

Lightly tap the set caramel all over with something heavy until it has broken into several small pieces. Put a quarter of the caramel into an airtight container, seal well and set aside until it is needed. Arrange a third of each prepared fruit in the bottom of the serving dish and sprinkle with a third of the remaining crushed caramel. Layer the dish twice more with the fruit and crushed caramel, ending with a layer of caramel pieces.

Pour over any remaining orange and grapefruit juice, then cover the dish with plastic wrap. Set the fruit salad aside for 1-2 hours, or until the caramel has dissolved. Just before serving, sprinkle the reserved caramel pieces over the top. Serve the fruit salad with whipped cream or Greek-style yoghurt.

** Asian Online Recipes **

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus 30-60 minutes marinating
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
4 salmon steaks, each weighing about 175 g
2.5 cm fresh green ginger, chopped
6 black peppercorns
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons each vegetable oil, soy sauce and dry sherry

Method
Place the salmon steaks in a circle in a deep microwave-safe dish, with the thin ends pointing inwards. Using a pestle and mortar, pound the ginger, peppercorns and garlic to a rough paste. Transfer the paste to a larger bowl, then mix in the oil, soy sauce and sherry. Pour the sauce over the fish, cover with plastic wrap and marinate for at least 30 minutes but no more than an hour, turning the fish over once. Fold back an edge of the plastic wrap so steam can escape then cook on High for 5-7 minutes, turning the steaks over once. Leave to stand for 2 minutes before serving.

It is possible to make a light batter with egg whites rather than whole eggs or egg yolks, but the batter still needs to be deep-fried to be crisp. In the recipe below, breadcrumbs replace the batter and the fish steaks are baked, making them a healthy alternative to fried fish. The crust is crispier if the breaded fish is left to chill, uncovered, for up to 4 hours before cooking.

Oven-Fried Fish Steaks Recipe

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons plain flour
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons dried mixed herbs
90 g (1.5 cups) fine breadcrumbs
1 large egg white
4 thick white fish fillets or steaks, each weighing 175-250 g, skinned
2 tablespoons peanut oil
To serve: lemon wedges

Method
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celcius and put a baking tray in it to warm. Mix the flour with the cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. Stir the herbs into the breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg white lightly with a fork until just frothy. Make sure the fish is dry. Coat it in the flour mixture first, then dip it into the egg white and finally the herb-flavored breadcrumbs. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick frying pan until it is very hot but not smoking. Add the coated fish steaks and fry them over a moderate heat for about a minute each side. Transfer the fish steaks to the hot baking tray and bake for 8 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

** Asian Online Recipes **

Serves: 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 60-70 minutes

Ingredients
2 red onions, cut into wedges
2 fennel bulbs, cut into wedges
2 red peppers, deseed and cut into wedges
4 large ripe tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves garlic, quartered
3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lightly crushed fennel or coriander seeds
Salt and black pepper
2 kg whole fish, trimmed, scaled and cleaned
200 ml dry white wine
4 tablespoons Pernod, optional

Method
Preheat the oven to 230 degress Celcius. Put all the vegetables in a large baking dish. Mix in the oil and crushed seeds and season to taste. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, turning the vegetables over a few times. Score the fish in two or three places on each side with a sharp knife, and sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Place the fish on top of the vegetables, pour over the wine and Pernod, if using, and cover tightly with foil. Reduce the oven temperature to 190 degrees Celcius and bake for 30-40 minutes until the flesh flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Serves: 2
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
Salt
1 clove garlic, crushed
150 ml yogurt
Black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Mint, shredded, optional

Method:
Cut the eggplant lengthways in pencil-thick slices, sprinkle each lightly with salt and stack them in a colander. Stand in the sink to drain for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the garlic into the yogurt and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Preheat the grill to medium hot. Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry with kitchen paper towels. Brush one side with oil and grill until lightly browned, then brush the other side with oil and grill that. Serve hot or at room temperature, topped with the garlic yogurt dressing. Garnish, if you like, with fresh shredded mint.

Makes: 8 dumplings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:
60 g (0.5 cup) self-raising flour
0.5 teaspoon salt
100 g (1 cup) prepared suet mix
0.25 cup chopped fresh parsley
60 ml cold water

Method:
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the suet mix and parsley and stir with a round-bladed knife. Add the water and mix to form a soft, scone-like dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into eight equal portions. With clean, cold, lightly floured hands, roll each portion into a ball, then shake off any excess flour. Add the dumplings to a gently simmering stew, placing them lightly on top and ensuring that they are not submerged in the liquid. Cover the pan or casserole with a lid and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve immediately.

Variation:
For dumplings to accompany boiled corned beef, sift 1 teaspoon mustard powder with the flour and salt before adding the suet mix.

** Asian Online Recipes **

Serves: 8-10
Preparation time: 10 minutes plus overnight soaking
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
125 g each dried apple rings, apricots, figs, peaches, pears, prunes and dates
150 g dried mango slices
6-8 star anise
Thinly pared zest and strained juice of 1 large lemon
25 g (5 teaspoons) caster sugar, optional

Method:
Put the dried apple, apricots, figs, peaches, pears and prunes into a large bowl, then pour over 1.5 liters of cold water. Cover the bowl tightly and leave the fruit to soak overnight. Place the fruit and the water in a large saucepan. Add the dates, mango, star anise, lemon zest and juice and the caster sugar (if using). Stir them together gently and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the compote into a heatproof bowl. Serve hot, or let cool, cover and refrigerate for up to seven days.

** Asian Online Recipes **

Serves: 5-6
Preparation time: 30-35 minutes
Cooking time: 40-45 minutes

Ingredients:
For the fruit mixture-
1 kg fresh ripe apricots, stoned and cut into quarters
60 g white sugar
Finely grated zest of an orange
2-3 tablespoons orange juice

For the crumble topping-
185 g plain flour
125 g unsalted butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
60 g caster sugar
30 g flaked almonds, optional
To serve: fresh cream or mascarpone cheese

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Butter a shallow 1.5 liter ovenproof dish. Arrange the apricots in the dish and sprinkle each layer with sugar. Add the orange zest and juice. To make the crumble topping, sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and continue to rub in until the mixture begins to cling together in crumbs.

Spread the crumble evenly over the fruit and press down lightly. Sprinkle with almond, if using. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180 degrees C and continue cooking for a further 15 minutes until the top is well browned and the fruit is tender. Serve the crumble warm, with fresh cream or spoonfuls of thick mascarpone cheese.

Variations-
Blackberries and blueberries, rhubarb, apples and quinces, can also be very successfully cooked in a crumble. Put them into the prepared dish and sprinkle 60 g of light brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of water over them instead of the orange zest and juice. Then cover with crumble topping and cook as in the recipe. You can also add 1 tablespoon of fruit-flavored liqueur or brandy to the filling.

** Asian Recipes **