Now we're cooking!

We were inundated; as we knew we would be. The hard part was whittling down all the submissions into something publishable!

But we're delighted to report that the HPB Cookbook has indeed been published, with all profits going to Macmillan Cancer Support, HPB’s chosen charity.

The Cookbook is an eclectic mix, with recipes from Scotland to southern Europe – plus of course recipes picked up by Bondholders on their holidays, both at Bond sites and 'off-Bond' destinations. But diversity means there's something for everyone.

To whet your appetite (in both senses) here's one recipe, picked entirely at random, from a Bondholder in Letchworth Garden City.

And yes: they really are all this good!

Chicken Tamarind

Ingredients

• 500g chicken pieces
• 4 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
• 4 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder or flakes (or to taste)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1½ teaspoons grated ginger
• 3 to 4 cloves of garlic chopped or grated (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon onion seeds
• Oil for frying
• 2 tablespoons of water

Method:

• Set the oven to 180 °
• Put the tomato ketchup, tamarind paste and water in a large bowl and blend together. Add the chicken pieces and the remaining ingredients. If any of the last five ingredients are not available it is not a problem, leave out. Mix well and leave to marinade for 15 minutes or longer if you wish.
• Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan, shake the sauce from the chicken pieces and fry to brown. Do in batches so they brown and do not boil. When all the chicken has been browned, return it to the pan with the remaining sauce. Add the water to loosen the sauce and then put in the oven uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. If the sauce bubbles then add a little more water to ensure the chicken does not burn.
• PS: If your spices are whole then fry them in a dry frying pan to bring out the flavours. They will then crush easily in a mortar and pestle. If you do double the amount required you can put the remaining spices in a small air tight box ready to take on holiday!