Jump straight to the Piri Piri Sauce Recipe

Well, that is a LOADED title. But really this is easy, fast and no fuss and it is fabulous. You need to make it. End of.

Piri Piri is a superb sauce. It is easy to make and all you do with it is marinade the protein of your choice before cooking it. Over fire if you like, but also in the oven or fry it in the pan. Continue reading

Jump straight to the Chickpeas with Chilli, Coriander, Lemon and Red Onion recipe

Are chickpeas everyone’s favourite pulse, or just the one they are most familiar and comfortable with? Do you stock up to make the nations favourite dip, hummus? Or do you make curry, soup or add them to a salad? The chickpea is indispensable, especially now when some days, despite all the time, we require something quick and nourishing with little effort but lots of flavour. This is a plate of sunshine. 

Use tinned chickpeas, or home-cooked. Whatever you have. Take the sharp edge of the red onion by letting it sit in the lemon juice for 10 minutes before dressing the chickpeas. Use whatever herbs you have, basil, oregano, parsley would all work very well too. Lime juice would be lovely here but if you have no fresh citrus, use vinegar (any except malt vinegar which would be too harsh). Taste as you go, and enjoy the results.  Continue reading

Jump directly to the Carrot, White Bean and Cabbage Gojuchang Soup recipe.

Times like this bring into sharp relief many things. In terms of the kitchen, it has shown my chaotic pantry (cupboards!) for what they really are. Everything is chosen in the moment with little planning, and then planted to be dealt with at a later date. 

I have several kinds of rice (from Taiwan rice to black rice with lots of different white rice in between), lots of fermented bits and bobs (I have 2 tubs of my favourite Korean pepper paste and a catering size bag of Korean pepper flakes), and many many random things that I have brought back from my various travels. There is more hot sauce than I could get through in any reasonable length of time and lots of chillies, but I am running super low on basic spice. A little interrogation shows clearly what you eat regularly and what you think you should. I am most definitely an Irish woman who travels and loves big flavour (which of course you already knew). Continue reading

Stew conjures images of dark early evenings and a need for warmth. Maybe I need another name for this as it is bright and sings of summer days or longer spring evenings.

I have done many variations of this stew over the years and with Summer descending quickly upon us (20C and sunny in London today!), it seems a perfect time to make and share it again. It is perfection with a glass of rosé right now.  Continue reading

Almost everything I share on Eat Like a Girl has been cooked for one. I cook mainly for myself, and I do every day, at least once. I am a social being, but my flat is very small with no dining table (some day!) and so I rarely entertain at home. I so look forward to the day that I can though.

I know that many people are self isolating at home alone right now and I wanted to provide some recipe inspiration for you, or a starting point at least. While I almost always cook for one, I usually cook a little extra so that I can have leftovers to have with an egg the next day, or convert into something tasty for another meal. If you are cooking for two these will double up well and easily. 

Most recipes here require no kitchen kit as such. Everything is accessible and easy to recreate. All you need is a chopping board, a good knife, a wooden spoon and a pan to cook in. Everything else is a bonus and you can add that as you go. I did. Continue reading