Make some homemade piccalilli to serve with cold meats and cheese. It will keep for up to three months and makes a great gift for chutney lovers

Don't get in a pickle with this classic piccalilli recipe. Easy to make, our recipe yields three Mason jars of deliciousness that can keep for several months.

This chilli jam recipe is quick and easy to make and is the perfect edible gift

This year's mid-autumn festival is indeed a special occasion. My better half is able to celebrate this Chinese festival with us, just in time before he leaves for the airport for a mid-night flight :) The next 'biggest' thing for me is, I have finally attempted to make traditional baked mooncakes! Even though I know in advance that I will be hosting this month's Aspiring Baker's event, I didn't think that I would be ready to make any traditional moocncakes when the theme was firmed up. I only changed my whole impression on making baked mooncakes when I picked up a magazine from the library recently. I was flipping through the pages when a picture of some beautiful mini mooncakes appeared right in front of my eyes. With the easy-to-understand instructions and detailed step-by-step illustrations, I started to think that making traditional mooncakes is not that difficult after all. With the newly acquired knowledge, I set off to get the necessary ingredients. The recipe from the magazine has included instructions on how to make the lotus paste filling and golden syrup from scratch, I thought I should go for ready made ones this year. No matter what, I am a first-timer. I don't want my effort to go into waste if I failed miserably. You will be surprised at how easy to transform the basic ingredients into these mooncakes, all ready to go into the oven. The dough or skin of the mooncake is made by a simple mixing of golden syrup, alkaline water, peanut oil and flour. Peanut oil is used to enhance the flavour, but I replace it with canola oil as I couldn't get any peanut oil that comes in small bottle form. The alkaline water helps to make the dough more stretchable, and allows the mooncakes to brown nicely upon baking. However, just a small amount is needed, if used more than recommended, it will give the mooncake a very dark colour. The important point to note about the dough is, you need to let it rest for at least 2 hrs or more before using it. This step is known as 醒面. I am no stranger when it comes to wrapping the filling with the dough. I learned the trick when I first attempted to make some snowskin mooncakes years ago. You may ask what is so difficult about wrapping dough around the filling? It may appear to be an easy task, but not when you are wrapping a dough that is only 15g while the filling is 35g. By right the dough to filling ratio should be 2:8, so I will actually have to use only 10g dough. But for newbies like me, I opted to up the ratio a little, I worked on 3:7 instead. I am no professional baker, but since I am lousy with words, I think a video clip will be good to demonstrate how I went about wrapping the mooncake. As it is the school holidays, I got my younger son to help me take the video :) Notice the small piece of dough in comparison to the huge ball of filling? The trick here is to hold the dough between the thumb and index finger of one hand, and the thumb of the other hand should gently press the filling down while turning the dough and at the same time pushing the dough up to cover the filling. Sounds mind boggling right?! Besides the right technique of wrapping, another thing to note is, always dust your hands with flour to prevent the dough from sticking and tearing. Trust me, dust your hand lightly with flour every time you pick up the dough, it will make your mooncake making experience a more enjoyable one ;) Stamping the mooncake was easy since the mould I have comes with a plunger. The only thing here is, instead of dusting the mould (I am not talking about the traditional wooden mould), I dust the wrapped dough with flour before putting it inside the mould. If you have dusted the mould AND the stamping plates with flour, some flour may get trapped inside the grooves of the patterns, and you may end up with a clump of flour on the imprints. Baking the mooncakes requires one to have patience. First, before sending them into the oven, spray or mist them with some water. This is to prevent the surface from cracking, and especially good if you have dusted the dough with too much flour. After the first 10mins of baking, the half-baked mooncakes have to be left to cool for about 15mins. Wait for them to cool off before applying egg wash on the top or top and sides as preferred. The next thing is to watch them carefully during the second baking. As all ovens work differently, check every now and then to make sure they don't get over browned. Do stand by at the oven at the last few minutes before the baking time is up. Take out the moonies when you feel that the colour is right. I made these mini mooncakes with tiramisu lotus paste (a better name for lotus paste added with coffee flavour!). I have also tried with red bean paste, and added melon seeds as I liked the nutty texture. It was a very good learning experience, especially for a self taught baker. I was already giving myself a pat on the shoulder while the mooncakes were baking in the oven. I received another huge encouragement when my better half went oooh and ahhh when he took the first bite. He even asked me whether I could make some for him to bring overseas for him to show off to his overseas colleagues (*^^) I'm submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #11: Mid-Autumn Treats (Sept 2011) which I am hosting :) Traditional Mooncakes (广式咖啡莲蓉月饼) Ingredients: (makes 12~13 mini mooncakes) for dough: 100g plain flour 70g golden syrup (I used Abram Lyle's Golden Syrup with maple flavor) 2ml alkaline water 25ml peanut oil (I replaced with canola oil) for filling: 415g tiramisu lotus paste 40g melon seeds Method: Mix lotus paste with melon seeds. Divide the filling into 35g portions and shape into balls. Set aside. (Note: I used a dough: filling ratio of 3:7, for 50g mooncake mould) Place golden syrup in a bowl. Add in alkaline water, stir to combine. Add in oil, mix well. Place plain flour in a mixing bowl,make a well in the centre. Add in the above mixture. Mix with a spatula to form a soft dough. Gently knead the dough till smooth (takes 1~2 mins). Shape it into a smooth round dough. Wrap with cling wrap and leave in fridge to rest for at least 2 hours or over night. This step is known as 醒面. Dust work surface with some flour. Give the dough a few light kneading to smooth it. Divide dough into 15g pieces. Shape each dough into a ball. Roll each dough over some flour. Dust hand with flour and flatten each dough into a small disc (about 5cm in diameter). Wrap it around the filling and shape it into a ball. (always dust hand with some flour to avoid the dough from sticking). Lightly dust the wrapped dough with some flour. Place it in the mooncake mould and press the mooncake out. Place mooncake on a baking tray line with parchment paper. Spray some water on the mooncakes. (Note: this helps to prevent the mooncake from cracking during baking.) Bake at preheated oven at 180degC for 10mins. Remove from oven and leave to cool for 15mins (do not skip this step). Brush the top with some egg wash. Return to oven and continue to bake for another 15mins until golden brown (since all oven works differently, do check after 10mins, and subsequently every other 2 mins to make sure the mooncakes are not over browned). Leave mooncake to cool completely and store in air tight containers. Wait for 2 ~ 3 days for the mooncakes to 回油 (for the skin to soften) before serving. Recipe source: adapted from 贝太厨房

Make this flavourful relish with whatever veggies are in season. Words: Jane Wrigglesworth This is my version of piccalilli. You can use any vegetable – summer or winter – you have on hand. You can also use almost any spice. My favourites include ground ginger, whole cloves, and mustard seeds. Makes: 2 litres (approx.) Time: 45 minutes (not including waiting time) INGREDIENTS 1kg vegetables (eg cauliflower and/or broccoli florets, chopped parsnip or carrot, sliced celery, chopped brussels sprouts) 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced 1 litre water 2 tbsp coarse sea salt ½ cup brown sugar ¼ cup honey ¼ cup

The flavour of the Rhubarb Chutney reminds me of a fruity, tangy BBQ Sauce! Thanks to its tartness this Rhubarb Chutney goes especially well with pork! But we also use it as a spread for fancy sandwiches or as an accompaniment to cheese!

A super simple, delicious recipe for spicy Korean rice cakes!

As you probably already know, I am a bit of a shrimp fanatic and I am always looking for tasty new ways to enjoy shrimp. I recently came across a really interesting recipe for Singapore

There's nothing better than a dollop of this incredible spicy piccalilli on your favourite cheese

Traditional style kimchi recipe that can made into all kinds of Korean side dishes from soups to fried rice.

Lemon Chutney is a versatile, easy to make, flavourful, spicy Indian style chutney. What I like about this recipe is that if you add enough oil, it stays fresh in the fridge for months. It is actually a much quicker version of the Gujarati lemon pickle or limbu nu athanu.

A super simple, delicious recipe for spicy Korean rice cakes!

Qatayef are stuffed Arabic pancakes, fried to perfection then dunked in simple syrup. Crunchy, sweet and so satisfying.

Don't get thrown off by the word 'spicy'. This Aubergine chutney is all about balance and the perfect play of flavours from the sweet n' spicy ingredients.

A quick and easy homemade peri-peri sauce with roasted red peppers, garlic, lemon juice and oregano along with spicy red chili peppers!

This delicious grilled chicken recipe paired with a fresh cucumber salad is the perfect summer dish, ready in under 30 minutes!

Matzoh Ball Soup By Andrew Zimmern A Passover staple, matzoh ball soup is nurturing and medicinal. Before I had a bottle in my mouth I was sipping on this soup, and it's remained one of my top five favorite foods. This is the only recipe I’ve come across that measures up to my grandmother’s. This

A simple delicious recipe for Thai Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce, loaded up with healthy veggies. Vegan and Gluten free, this make-ahead salad is perfect for midweek lunches or large gatherings.  Add Sesame Ginger Tofu for added protein! Watch the video.

Recipe video above. Poached Salmon in a coconut lime sauce that tastes like a Thai coconut curry - except it's super quick and easy to make! Even though the salmon is poached, it's well worth searing lightly to brown for the extra flavour on both the salmon and in the sauce.

This is a great recipe for summer since it's pretty quick cooking and involves no oven time whatsoever. Yeah!

Chiu chow sauce or chao zhou sauce, is a condiment that you'll want to put on everything. A chili oil with lots of garlic, you won't believe how good it is.

I’ve been pickling vegetables like crazy as of late because it works so great for preserving them, especially when it’s…

Yield: 10 x half-litre (US pint)

This recipe all varies depending on the chili's (red jalapenos, habanero's, etc...). Every chili pepper has a different heat level, so you must be the judge of the amount of spice you prefer. Start your first batch with smaller chili pepper quantities to familiarize yourself with the heat level of your chili peppers. Very Important - Make sure to cook in a well ventilated kitchen. The chilies will fill the air with spice.Makes about 1 cup

Made with premium pancetta, known for its deep, salty intensity, our carbonara sauce also contains egg yolk, freshly ground black pepper and decadent Parmigiano Reggiano. We also add cream, which although a contentious issue, we believe it’s what makes our carbonara that extra bit, well, creamy. And who could resist such temptation?

If one bottle of cabernet sauvignon gets Chef Benjamin Navarro’s tasty take on boeuf borguignon off to a fine start, a second bottle intensifies the flavors of what is traditionally a potent dish with beaucoup personality. The classic French recipe for this wine-dark stew is more a general guide than engraved in stone,

This Spanish Egg & Garlic Soup is possibly the best egg soup ever. It´s filled with flavors, easy to make and done in about 20 minutes.

Learn how to make delicious Kimchi at home! It is perfectly spicy, sour, and juicy. This kimchi is also vegan, easy to make, and requires just 10 ingredients!

This Cherry Tomato, Chili and Ginger Jam Recipe makes turning fresh garden produce into homemade preserves easy and delicious!

Can you make piccalilly in 30 minutes? Sure! Check out my homemade piccalilly recipe. Quick and easy pickles for pork roast or cheddar cheese!

Strawberry Chutney is a delicious condiment that you can make easily in an Instant Pot or stovetop. This Strawberry relish can be used as a spread, filling, accompaniment & it's spicy, sweet, tangy & everything so good.

Recipe for a simply perfect quince jam made with just three ingredients, grated and diced fresh quince, sugar or honey and lemon juice. A great addition to your breakfast or snack with a cracker and some cheese. Perrrrfection!

Macros per 1/2 cup serving: • 45 Calories • 3g of Fat • 1g of Protein • 5g of Net Carbs