Cooking Classes

Stuck in rainy Oxford this Autumn? Let your taste buds travel the world with my pan-Asian and Spanish cooking classes!

I are now offering cooking classes on regional Asian and Spanish cuisine in Central North Oxford. Alternatively, I can come to your kitchen anywhere in Oxford or its environs. I started these classes back when I was in New York along with my fellow food blogger, Rachel. As with the original, my goal in teaching these classes is not only to convey recipes, but also to demystify unique and lesser-known ingredients and techniques in order to open-up the entire world of cuisine. I promise workshops that are distinctive, illuminating and fun!

Below I describe some sample classes and menus, but I’m always happy to tailor them to your needs and interests. Each class is designed to be about 3½ to 4 hours long and involves both demonstration and hands-on practice. Please don’t hesitate to contact me for more information!

1. Gujarati Vegetarian Homestyle Dinner: If you’re tired of eating the same old greasy and over-spiced restaurant Indian food, this class will open up an entirely different style of cooking based on the vegetarian cuisine of Gujarat, a state in western India. Gujarati food is renowned for its use of lentils and ingredients such as curry leaves, astefedita, and jaggery. This class aims to both demystify these and other Indian spices (all readily available here) as well as introduce you to an array of simple yet highly satisfying Gujarati dishes.

On the menu: Pan fried potato croquettes stuffed with peas, currants, and fresh coconut; fried rice with cabbage and asafetida; methi thepla: millet and fenugreek flatbread; muth: sprouted brown lentils; kadhi: spicy yogurt “soup”; cilantro and coconut chutney; dhokla: fermented steamed rice and lentil cakes; kasoori methi-gobi: cauliflower and peas with dried fenugreek; shiro: traditional sweet made of semolina, almonds, and currants.

2. Korean Standards: I love galbi as much as anyone but there is more to Korean food than barbecue as I aim to show in this class. We’ll cover everything from gochujang to making your own anchovy and konbu stock to add depth to stews. And once you get a hang of these delicious Korean classics, making your own galbi at home will be a cinch!

On the menu: Quick cabbage and radish kimchi; toppoki (rice cakes) with pork and kale; sundubu jjigae: soft tofu, meat, and kimchi soup in an anchovy stock; pajeon: chive and seafood pancakes; spicy grilled chicken wings; kongamul muchim: spicy bean sprouts; braised radish and tofu with shrimp; jujube and ginger tea.

3. Pan Asian Favorites: This class will take you on a whirlwind gastronomic tour of Asia by covering some my favorite dishes. What unites this eclectic menu is the tastiness of the dishes and how surprisingly easy they are to make in your home kitchen.

On the menu: mandoo (Korean kimchi and tofu dumplings); tebasaki: Japanese-style chicken wings with miso and shio kōji; Vietnamese pho; Cantonese style roast pork buns); bhel-puri: Mumbai street food made of puffed rice and fried chickpea sticks; Sichuanese green beans and pork with fermented vegetables and Sichuan peppercorns; daifuku: Japanese sweet made with glutinous rice and adzuki bean paste.

4. Regional Indian Food: Experience the wonderful diversity of Indian cuisine as we travel from North to South in this intensive hands-on course covering classic regional dishes.

On the menu: North Indian chicken curry with yogurt and dried fenugreek; South Indian idli sambhar; Bengali-stye fish with curry leaves and panch poron (5 spices); Mumbai street-style pav bhaji (mixed vegetables); Gujarati kichidi: basmati rice cooked with lentils.

5. Regional Spanish: After a few visits to Spain I’ve become a massive fan of that country’s cuisine. If you’re jaded from the so-called “tapas” that every restaurant in the UK now thinks it must serve, this class is perfect for you. We’ll explore the regional diversity of Spanish cuisine including, Pulpo de Gallega (Galician style octopus); Catalan classics like fideua (sort of like paella but made with pasta); and Basque-style fish stew.