Our traditions mean that we reach for cold foods when the weather is hot, so it might seem heretical to suggest that there is nothing nicer than hot, spicy food when the sun is blazing.
The heat of chillies and ginger and spices actually help to cool us down by inducing perspiration, something cooks from warm climates have always understood: westerners travelling in India may cool down with a freezing glass of lassi, but the Indians standing beside them at the roadside stall will be drinking hot, sweet chai.
If part of the attraction of our traditional summer foods is the chance to drink cool wine, then don't think that it is forbidden to drink decent wine with these complex foods: it isn't. The vindaloo may see off any subtle wines, but the noodles will suit good, cool whites and reds.
Singapore Noodles
We start with a great dish of Singapore Noodles. Originating from Singapore, these noodles have become a speciality of Cantonese cooking. The dish is always characterised by a curry sauce, and can be served hot, as part of an Asian meal (it would be a good accompaniment for fish), or cold, as an unusual salad, forming part of a buffet.
6oz noodles
Curry sauce:
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 oz ginger, finely chopped
1 heaped tablespoon Madras curry paste
1 tablespoon Shaosing wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 fl oz chicken stock or water
1 egg
1 teaspoon sesame oil
5 tablespoons peanut oil
1/2 oz ginger, Julienned
4 oz carrots, slivered lengthways (use a potato peeler, a mandolin or against the blade of a food processor)
1 green pepper, julienned
2oz scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 red chilli, sliced
200g raw prawns
4oz Chinese roast pork (char siu) or Westphalian ham
4oz frozen peas
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Make the curry sauce: heat the wok until it reaches a smoking hot temperature. Add the oil and then stir fry the garlic and ginger. Add the curry paste and stir to combine. Then add the wine or sherry, the soy sauce and the water, stirring between each addition. Cook on a high heat for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a small jug and reserve.
Beat the egg in a small bowl with the sesame oil.
Heat the wok. Add a tablespoon of peanut oil, and then add the egg mixture. Swizzle around with a spatula until the egg just cooks. Remove, break up and reserve.
Clean the wok with kitchen paper, heat and then add another tablespoon of peanut oil. Stir fry the ginger, carrots, sweet pepper, white scallions, garlic and the chilli. Remove the vegetables from the wok and clean the wok again.
Heat the wok and add a third tablespoon of peanut oil. Stir-fry the prawns until they turn pink and then add the pork and the peas. Add the oyster sauce. Remove from the wok and clean the wok again.
Meanwhile, pre-cook or soak the noodles according to instructions on the packet.
Heat the wok, and add a final tablespoon of peanut oil. Add the noodles and stir-fry to loosen the strands. Add the prepared curry sauce. Then, stir-frying between each addition, add the reserved vegetables, the meat and the egg mixture and the green spring onion. When thoroughly combined, remove from the heat and place on a pre-heated platter. Serves 4-6
Lamb Vindaloo
From Goa, in the south of India, this is one of the hottest of all curries. It is always characterised by the use of vinegar which is what puts the vin in the vindaloo. Eat this with warmed bread, and a salad of chopped tomato and thinly sliced onion.
3 fl oz red wine vinegar
2 fl oz mustard oil (or vegetable oil)
1 oz ginger, finely chopped
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 green cardamom pods
2 lb shoulder of lamb
3 onions, chopped
3-5 whole red chillies (seeds removed for the timid)
300ml (half pint) lamb stock
Mix together the vinegar, two tablespoons of the oil, the ginger, sugar, salt, garlic and spices. Place in a large bowl with the lamb and marinate the meat for anything from half an hour to four hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Heat the remaining oil on a medium heat and cook the onions. Keep the heat low at first, while the onions begin to lose their moisture, and then turn up the heat and, stirring regularly, cook until the onions go a deep caramel brown. The process takes about 20 minutes in total. Be careful not to let the onions burn.
Add the chillies and then the marinated lamb, and finally the stock.
Partially cover the dish and simmer on top of the stove for two hours.
During the last 10 minutes of cooking, remove the lid and taste for salt (curry needs masses of salt). Turn up the heat, and stir regularly until the sauce just coats the meat. Serves 4