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" Barberries, or zereshk, are tiny dried red fruit with a tremendously sharp flavour. They come from Iran, where they're used to add freshness to rice and chicken dishes. "

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" One Indian-inspired favourite of mine is mashed potato mixed with lemon juice, breadcrumbs, coriander and chilli, shaped into patties, fried and served with chutney and yoghurt. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

Juice

Mixed

Shaped

" The only way reliably to gauge the heat of any particular chilli is to cut it in half, so exposing the core and membranes, and to dab the cut surface on your tongue. "

" Polenta is to northern Italy what bread is to Tuscany, what pasta is to Emilia-Romagna and what rice is to the Veneto: easy to make, hungry to absorb other flavours, and hugely versatile. "

" Long-, medium- and short-grain rices differ in the amount and type of starch they have. "

" As with lemon juice, the more sorrel you use, the more it has to be balanced with something sweet, starchy or creamy - it's a yin-yang approach to cooking that I find rather calming. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

You

Sweet

" Jerusalem artichokes have a great affinity with nuts. I love them with chopped walnuts or almonds, lemon juice, garlic, herbs and plenty of olive oil. "

" In certain European cuisines, vegetables are cooked a long time. I take the term 'al dente' and use it for vegetables. "

" There are many reasons I feel at home in the U.K., but if I were asked to pinpoint the moment I knew I'd arrived, it might well be when I realised the British shared my love of fritters. "

" Lebanese mezze, Cantonese dim sum and Basque pinchos have all evolved over years and are designed to make sense together. "

" Vegetarians in general don't like me. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

General

" Call me tacky, but I love the union of sweet and sour, even in some now-unloved Oriental dishes incorporating pineapple and ketchup. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

Union

Love

" I just don't tend to cook eggplant at home. "

" Souffles don't deserve their reputation as potential disasters. "

" Pot barley takes longer to cook than pearl, but an overnight soak in water will speed things along. It's a robust grain that, if overcooked, won't collapse but will become more tender. "

" The smells of slow cooking spread around the house and impart a unique warmth matched only by the flavour of the food. "

" A great ratatouille is one in which the vegetables interact with each other but are still discernible from each other. The trick is to cook them just right: not over, not under. "

" A quick shallow fry is a great way to transform leftovers, and no more so than in the case of risotto. "

" Agave nectar is a good substitute for refined sugars. It has a relatively low glycaemic index, which means it doesn't cause quick rises in blood sugar levels. It also has a nice, mild flavour. "

" Poaching white fish in moderately hot oil guarantees soft-textured flesh and allows you to prepare a sauce calmly, without the usual panic about overcooking the fish. "

" Yogurt sauce, as you may have noticed by now, is a regular presence in my recipes - that's because it has the ability to round up so many flavours and textures like no other component does. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

Now

Ability

" Miso makes a soup loaded with flavour that saves you the hassle of making stock. "

" Steaming maintains some of the aubergine flesh's texture, which doesn't happen if you cook it in any other way. "

" A lemon, boiled whole and blitzed, makes a useful base for all sorts of dressings. "

" The addition of vinaigrette to freshly roasted vegetables gives them a freshness and juiciness they don't normally have; the acidity brings out new shades of flavour, too. "

" Small okra pods have a much more attractive texture than large ones, which, when cooked, can be gloopy, stringy and totally spoil a dish. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

Attractive

Texture

" Brunch, for me, is an extended breakfast that should be enjoyed whenever you have time properly to engage in cooking and eating. "

Yotam Ottolenghi

Breakfast

You

" My father always cooks more polenta than he needs for a meal. The excess he spreads on an oiled surface and chills. Next day, he cuts out chunks, fries them in olive oil and serves with salad. "

" The emotive power of hummus all over the Middle East cannot be overstated, being the focus of some serious tribal rivalries. "

" Vegetarian and frugal it may be, but the chickpea is one of the most versatile ingredients you could keep in your cupboards. "

" Some heat, some spice and plenty of citrus are the building blocks of many North African fish dishes. "