There’s nothing a well-cooked meal cannot fix. Especially when it is a tangy, saucy, spicy mix. Our pick for this month is classic Chinese tofu, and for those with a sweet tooth, a typical English chocolate tart with a spin.

So put on your aprons and get those whisks and ladles ready. It’s kitchen time!

Mapo Tofu

You’ll need:

• 300g diced tofu
• 1tsp chili bean paste
• 1/2tsp Sichuan oil
• 2tbsp cooking oil
• 1tsp spicy black bean
• 100ml water
• 1/2tsp dark soy
• 1/2tsp red chili powder
• 1/2tsp sugar
• 1tbsp potato starch
• 2tbsp water
• 2tbsp leeks, sliced
• 1tsp garlic, chopped
• 1tsp ginger, chopped
• 1tsp spring onions, chopped

How to prepare:

• Heat the Sichuan oil and cooking oil in a pan. Add the spicy black bean and the chili bean paste, and sauté well.
• Sauté the ginger, garlic, and chili powder for a while.
• Add water (100ml) and dark soy to the sauté mix.
• Throw in the spring onion, leeks, tofu, and sugar. Bring it to boil (2 minutes).
• In a stainless steel container, mix the potato starch and water (2 tbsp) to prepare the thickening starch. Adjust the thickening and add it to the previous mix.
• Serve hot with a bowl of steamed rice.

Chocolate Pecan Tart

You’ll need: 
For the pastry

• 125g plain flour
• 2tbsp icing sugar
• 2tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 egg
• 1tsp lemon juice
• 135g cold and cubed unsalted butter

For the filling:

• 80g shredded dark chocolate
• 45g unsalted butter
• 160g granulated sugar
• 235ml maple syrup
• 3 medium eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 235g chopped pecans
• Vanilla ice cream or double cream, to serve

How to prepare:

• Mix the icing sugar, flour, and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Lightly whisk the egg with lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of ice-cold water in a measuring jar and set it aside.
• Throw the butter cubes into the dry mixture and rub them in slowly. Pour in the egg mixture and mix to form a dough.
• When the dough is ready, roll small balls out of it. Knead the dough smooth on a floured surface. Wrap the pastry in cling film and leave it to cool in the fridge for half an hour.
• Preheat oven to 190C and heat the baking tray.
• Roll the pastry out on a floured surface and use it to line a 10-inch baking tin. Poke the base of the pastry using a fork and leave it to chill for 10 minutes.
• Line the tin with butter paper and fill it with uncooked rice. Place the tin on the hot baking tray and bake until the pastry turns golden brown.
• Now, remove the rice and the butter paper from the tin. Adjust the oven temperature to 180°C and place the tin in the oven until the base is well cooked.
• For the filling, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of boiling water. Once it melts, set it aside to cool.
• In a saucepan, boil the granulated sugar and maple syrup together. Stir constantly. Set aside to cool.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl and fold in the chocolate mixture. Whisk in the sugar syrup mixture, and add vanilla extract and pecans. Mix it well.
• Pour the pecan filling into the baked pastry and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until set.
• Cool and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipping cream.