Asian inspired food is probably what I cook the most at home as it’s quick and bursting with fresh flavours. So I was keen to attend a healthy Asian cookery demonstration hosted by LV= at The Smart School of Cookery in St Katherine’s Dock.

I’m quite handy in the kitchen but I love that there’s ALWAYS new things to be learnt. Stu, our instructor and chef for the night was a mine of information and shared some great tips.

I love a room full of people photographing food. It’s great not to be the only weirdo in the room 🙂 It was also fab to meet and chat with a few fellow foodies including Mel, Sara, Victoria and Amanda

Here are the 5 best tips I picked up and will be putting to the test:

• Freeze fresh chillis and ginger then grate directly into whatever you’re cooking. This keeps all the essential oils in meaning more flavour and less likelihood of red eyes
• To avoid watering eyes, when cutting onions, breathe through your mouth not your nose
• Oil food not the pan. It uses less oil that you don’t really need anyway
• You can cook pudding rice in the oven and serve with savoury meals
• When pan frying small items, place them in the pan clockwise. By the time you’re back at 12 it’s time to turn the items round in order

And finally this genius lemon juice spray. Stick it on top of your lemon and spray away!

Here’s what Stu cooked up for us on the night:

• Prawns/courgettes on lime and chilli cured courgette – loved the zing of the cured courgette
• Noodles in vegetable broth with crostini – could have done with a little more kick for my tastes
• Thai chickpea curry – another delicious dish I’ll be cooking up myself