STICKY AND SWEET MUSHROOM BAO BUNS

Asian cuisine is my absolute favorite and I love trying to create my restaurant favorites at home too. Last weekend I decided to try and make some of my own bao buns. I discovered a recipe by "£1 meals" chef Miguel Barclay for a no fuss yeast free bao bun and adapted them to create this vegetarian friendly version stuffed with sweet and sticky mushrooms which have been fried in honey, soy, garlic and five spice. As they don't need yeast, these bao buns are foolproof and can be whipped up in less than one hour. 

HOST LIVERPOOL (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

We have visited Host up on Hope Street in Liverpool several times in the past and we had always had a great time. It was slightly surprising then when we realized that it had been quite a while since we had ventured through their doors. That changed one evening when we bought tickets to see a show at the nearby Everyman theatre and having looked at the what seemed to be completely new menu on their website from the one we had last time we came we decided to go and see if their treats were still as good as what we remembered. Off we went on a warm Saturday evening with great expectations!

SATAY BY THE BAY SINGAPORE (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

On our second day in Singapore we spent most of the day taking in the sights of Gardens By The Bay, a spectacular garden and conservation hub right in the heart of the city centre. An incredible place in the centre of such a modern city calls for incredible food and so a trip to it's very own hawker centre, Satay By The Bay seemed like a no brainer. A more tourist friendly hawker centre compared to those you'll find in the city, would it's food be able to match the wonders of the attractions and scenery of the gardens?

MIYAGI LIVERPOOL (MATTY B RECOMMENDS)

It was time for some more foodie adventures in Liverpool now with a trip to Miyagi. This Asian restaurant located in the city centre up the thriving foodie hot spot that is Bold Street specializes in street food treats from the Far East. A glance at the menu shows traditional nibbles sitting alongside classic dishes with modern twists. Miyagi's namesake is a legendary movie creation, would the food be able to stand up to the name?

"JUST LIKE THE CHIPPY" SWEETCORN SOUP

If I go to any Chinese restaurant or down to the chippy and I'm looking for a soup as a starter there is only one option; chicken and sweetcorn soup. It such a unique soup to the cuisine and one that I had never tried to recreate at home. That was until this week when I gave this meat free version a whirl and I was so surprised at how quick and simple it was to create this classic dish. What's even better is that its tastes so much fresher than the potentially MSG laden versions you can find in more dodgy food outlets.

TASTY THAI BUTTER BEAN PATTIES

When it comes to Thai food in the UK you can often get lumbered with red and green curries. As nice as they are, it's nice to try something different sometimes. When I whipped up these butter bean patties I wasn't expecting them to be Thai inspired but on first bite, those flavors of lemon, coriander, chili and sesame all work together to give them a distinctive taste of the east. The great thing about them is that other than boiling some potatoes, all you really need to do is chuck everything in a bowl and mix together and then roll the mixture of polenta for some added crunch. Simples!

BANGIN' BANG BANG SALAD

"Bang Bang" is a traditional Chinese dish which refers to the noise made by the bashing of the chicken normally served with the dish with a wooden mallet in order to flatten it and make it easier to shred and scatter over the top of the accompaniments. The chicken is then normally served with a satay like peanut sauce and that is where the inspiration for this salad has come from. As this is a veggie salad there is obviously no chicken, just lots of fresh raw vegetables dressed in that delicious nutty sauce, perfect as a side dish at your next summer BBQ.

PING PONG ST KATHARINE'S DOCK (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

During a well earned week away and on our travels across the UK we thought it was time to revisit an old favorite of ours with a trip to Ping Pong Dim Sum situated at St Katharine's dock. This dim sum restaurant caught our eye many years ago and has now grown to have branches all over the capital and this would be the third time we have ventured under the shadow of the Tower of London for some of their Asian treats. Would it be a case of third time still delicious? We headed over to the docks to find out!

SWEET AND SPICY SPEEDY STIR FRY

When you've had the most horrendous week in work, you want to walk in on a Friday evening and have one of your favorite meals without having to stand around for hours preparing and cooking it. This is where my sweet and spicy stir fry comes in. Asian food has to be my favorite and this oriental dish takes some of those classic flavors including the holy trinity of garlic, ginger and chili, mixes it with some Quorn chicken pieces, five spice powder, fresh vegetables, coriander and a liberal helping of sugar to create this super quick and simple dish.

SPICY SALT AND SZECHAUN PEPPER TOFU

Tofu has always been a bit hit and miss for me. I get nervous if I order it when I'm out and about as when it's poorly cooked it can be awfully chewy and nasty. When done right though it can be a delicious vegetarian treat. As I have fallen back in love with the flavors Szechaun peppercorns again I decided to use them to create this yummy salt and pepper tofu. Like my Szechaun stir fry from an earlier post, it is quite the spicy but if you don't mind a bit of a kick to your food then this is definitely one to try!

SPICY SZECHUAN STIR FRY

Well it's the new year and I'm back on the healthy eating band wagon and one of the easiest ways for you to have a meal that won't have you crying on the scales during weigh in day is to make a stir fry. I love Asian food and I also love a bit of spice in my meal so a Szechuan stir fry for me is two of my favorite foodie treats rolled into one. All you need is some fresh vegetables, some Quorn chicken style pieces to act as your protein, some bits and bobs for the sauce and a large frying pan or wok and away you go.

BECAUSE YOU KNOW I'M ALL ABOUT THE (THAI SEA) BASS

I'm not really a fan of fish but having sampled some delightful sea fare whilst on holiday in Sardinia I'm becoming a bit more adventurous. I am a big fan of Thai flavors so by combining those with two beautiful Sea-bass fillets this weekend I create a little taste of the east that is slowly pushing me over toward the side of full blown fish foodie fanatic. It's quite simple really! All you need is some butter, garlic, chili, ginger, spring onion and a big juicy whole lemon and your on you're way to Sea-bass parcel paradise!

CHAOPHRAYA LIVERPOOL (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

With the continual growth and regeneration of Liverpool city centre and the addition of more and more food outlets opening every month you sometimes forget about those guys who have been slogging it out in the area for years. One such venue is Chaophraya Thai Restaurant. We've been to this established restaurant several times in the past but had been a while since we had been through it's doors. Looking for somewhere to dine one evening, we decided it was time to go and check them out again and see if they can still hold their own against the new kids on the block.

GATWICK ORIENTAL (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

It can be quite a boring experience having to stop at an airport over night. The remote location can make for a long, restless night. Luckily, the Sofitel at Gatwick airport has the Gatwick Oriental to keep you fuelled but is it good enough to match the luxury surroundings of the hotel that houses it?