Nam Ngiaw (Northern Thai noodle soup)

Nam ngiaw (sometimes written nam ngiao or nam ngeow) is a popular and porky noodle soup from Northern Thailand. It's easy to find in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, but not so easy to find recipes for online, probably because several of the ingredients are quite hard to come by outside of the region. But it's so delicious, even a non-authentic version (made with ingredients available in the West) is worth making.

Red curry meatballs with longan

Juicy meatballs, luscious coconut milk, warming chilies... not even vaguely healthy, but I don't care. Making your own Thai red curry paste is dead easy, and allows you to easily adjust the amount of chilli to suit your own palate (plus you know exactly what you're eating).

Malaysian lamb korma

	A traditional Indian korma is a creamy, aromatic dish, with a marked absence of any heat or chilli taste. It's nice - but it doesn't really paster muster in chilli-mad Malaysia. This Malay adaptation features chillies and coconut milk, and swaps almonds for peanuts, taking it a long way from its origins in Hyderabad. Viva la difference!

Black pepper lamb

Pepper can be a funny spice. A little can warm you, or bring out the taste of sweet dishes. Too much of it can make the dish fiery and harsh. But just the right amount? Therein lies heaven (or as close to heaven as lamb curry gets).

Filipino adobo

This classic dish from the Philippines involves cooking meat (normally chicken and pork) in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, black pepper and garlic. For the best results, try and get pork with a decent fat content (for this recipe, lean is not your friend). It's not healthy. But it is tasty.

Japanese pork patties

Sometimes, you just can't beat a parcel of porky-goodness.

(Which unfortunately does rather sound like an inappropriate euphemism. Sorry.)

Anyway, this simple recipe can be pulled together at the drop of a hat from two ingredients and a few cupboard staples.

Nonya pork satay

When the Straights Chinese arrived in Malaysia and Singapore, they brought their love of pork with them. The resulting cooking style, merging Chinese ingredients with Malay/Indian spices, is referred at as Nonya (or Nyonya) cuisine. The best place to taste Nonya food is undoubtedly Penang; you can also find it in Singapore and Malaka. See below for the full recipe.