MGS Activities Week 2024 – Recipes

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MGS Activities Week 2024 Recipes

We’ve had a fantastic week at the cookery school with 25 of the politest, most engaged boys we’ve ever seen, it has been a pleasure to teach them cooking skills as part of their annual activities week. We wanted to make sure the boys learnt to cook a dish everyday and we were thrilled to hear that many of them had gone home and cooked for their families each evening.

The boys were with us for five days and split into teams with the last day culminating in a creative and inventive competition using skills they had learnt all week.

  • Day One:
  • Japanese – Sushi; 
  • Day Two:
  • Thai – Pad Thai, BBQ Thai Chicken and Vegetable Spring Rolls
  • Day Three:
  • Italian – Risotto, Beef Lasagne and Eton Mess
  • Day Four:
  • Indian – Lamb Momos, Lamb Samosas and Chicken Balti
  • Day Five:
  • USA – Burgers, Mac & Cheese and Chicken Wings

Day One - Japanese

Smoked Salmon Maki Sushi

Ingredients – Serves 2:

  • 1 cup of cooked and cooled sushi rice (link to the recipe)
  • Sushi smoked salmon uncut (slice it into thick batons)
  • Any vegetables you like such as mooli, carrot, cucumber etc.
  • 2 sheets of nori seaweed
  • Kewpie mayo

Method:

  1. Prepare a small dish of cold water.
  2. Place nori wrappers smooth side down on a cutting board. Wet your fingers in a dish and place a small handful of cooled sushi rice on the nori wrappers.
  3. Spread rice to cover the paper, leaving 1″ of paper at the end of the roll. Place an even amount of prawns, mayo, and veg in a straight line.
  4. Dip your fingers in the water dish and wet the end of the nori wrapper without rice with a small amount of water so the roll will close and stick together.
  5. Slowly roll the sushi, making sure to keep some tension so it rolls tight, and no ingredients fall out. Repeat for the second roll.

Tuna Uramaki

Ingredients to make 4 rolls

  • 200g sushi rice uncooked (400g cooked, following cooking instructions)
  • 4 sheets of nori
  • Wasabi paste
  • Pickled ginger
  • Soy sauce
  • Japanese mayo
  • 1x avocado, sliced
  • 1x carrot, shredded
  • 1x cucumber, de-seeded, cut into long batons
  • Handful of coriander, chopped
  • Sashimi grade tuna

Method:

  1. Cut the nori seaweed into halves, and then place half of the nori on the sushi mat shiny side down. As a golden rule, the shiny side of the nori seaweed should always be on the outside of the sushi.
  2. Place roughly 100g of sushi rice on the nori seaweed and spread across evenly. Flip the nori seaweed and sushi rice so that the nori seaweed is facing upward. Add a small portion of mayo, cucumber, tuna or any other filling in a centre.
  3. Start rolling from the bottom, tucking the edge of the roll to fully enclose the filling. Lift the edge of the mat and continue to roll forward until the sushi is formed into a firm cylinder.
  4. Slightly wet the blade of a sharp knife and slice the roll into 6 pieces. First, slice it into halves and then the halves into thirds. Clean the knife with a wet towel between cuts to prevent the rice from sticking to the knife. 
  5. Serve with soy sauce. Feel free to garnish with other foods such as white / black sesame seeds, tobiko, chives, etc.

How to Cook Sushi Rice:

Method:

  1. Use good quality sushi rice. (we prefer nishiki or koshi: Yutaka brand)
  2. 1 sushi roll needs about 100g cooked rice.
  3. You should soak sushi rice before rinsing for 20 minutes for more tender grains.
  4. Rinse at least 3-4 times under running cold water, until it runs clear.
  5. Rice to water ratio: 250g of rice: 330g of water.
  6. Place in a pan, cold, medium heat, no lid at this point, waiting to start simmer.
  7. After bubbles appear, place the lid on your pan, turn the heat down and simmer for 11 minutes.
  8. Turn off the heat and let rest for 20 minutes, do not remove the lid.
  9. Add seasoning, mix well and chill well in a refrigerator before using. (ideally overnight)

Sushi Rice in a Rice Cooker:

Ingredients: We uses cups as a measure with the rice cooker as it keeps the proportions correct.  Most rice cookers supply a ‘cup’ when purchased.

  • 1.5 cup of sushi rice (we prefer nishiki or koshi: Yutaka brand)
  • 2 cups of filtered water
  • ¼ cup of sushi seasoning

Method:

  1. Place the rice and water into a rice cooker. Cook the rice according to the “white rice” setting on the rice cooker.
  2. When the rice has finished cooking, rest it for 10 minutes to absorb all the extra moisture. Evenly pour the seasoned rice vinegar all over the rice. Toss the rice around to further distribute the rice vinegar, taking care to be gentle, and not mash the rice. Cool down properly, ideally refrigerate overnight.
  3. It is now ready to be used for sushi.

Sushi Seasoning:

Ingredients – you can store sushi seasoning or buy pre-made.  Make plenty and keep in sealed container.  When you are seasoning your rice, you want roughly one tablespoon per sushi roll.  But taste as you go for your preference.  This is the proportions.

  • 5 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 5 tbsp of caster sugar
  • 1tsp of salt
  • 100ml of filtered water

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan and cook until the sugar has dissolved, and the liquid has reduced down by half.
  2. Cool down completely
  3. Store in airtight bottle/ jar

Day Two - Thai

Pad Thai

Ingredients: Serves 1

  • 2-3 Chicken thighs 
  • 125g flat rice noodles
  • 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • Handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 red chilli, seeds removed, roughly chopped
  • 1 lime, zest and juice
  • 1 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
  • 50g beansprouts
  • 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla)
  • 1 tsp light soft brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • lime wedges, to garnish

Method:

  1. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions then drain them and set aside.
  2. In a pestle and mortar, make a paste from the garlic, coriander, red chilli and lime zest.
  3. Heat the oil in a wok or a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. When the oil is just at smoking point, add the paste and fry for about one minute, or until it becomes aromatic.
  4. Add the chicken, half of the spring onions and half of the beansprouts and stir-fry for two minutes.
  5. Add the drained noodles and mix through. Stir in the lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar and cook for two minutes. Pour in the beaten eggs and mix through the noodles until just cooked.
  6. Tumble the noodles out onto warmed serving plates and serve garnished with the coriander leaves, lime wedges, toasted sesame seeds, and the remaining spring onions and bean sprouts.

Vegetable Spring Rolls

Ingredients: Makes 8-10 rolls

  • 300 g spring roll sheets
  • 25 grams glass noodles (soak in water and chop)
  • 100g White cabbage sliced very finely
  • 50 g bean spout
  • 100 g leeks finely sliced
  • 1 small carrot finely sliced
  • 2 clove garlic crushed and chopped
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • Vegetable oil to fry the spring rolls in.

Method:

  1. Heat cooking oil and cook garlic until it is aromatic, then add all the other ingredients
  2. Cook until dry and set aside to cool.
  3. Cut spring roll sheet to size
  4. Add a spoonful of vegetable mixture to the sheet so you can roll into shape tucking in the edges as you go. Seal with flour and water.

 

THAI CHICKEN BBQ GAI YANG

Ingredients – Serves 4

  • 1 kg chicken thighs, approx 2 chicken thighs per person

Marinade

  • 150 ml soy sauce
  • 6 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 5 slices fresh ginger crushed
  • 4 coriander root or fresh coriander
  • 2 tablespoon whole white pepper corn crushed
  • 2-3 tablespoon salt

Glaze

  • 100 grams honey
  • 100 grams light soy sauce

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 160-180 degrees C
  2. Make the Marinade – mix all the ingredients in a bowl and add the chicken for 30 minutes or if possible overnight
  3. Make the Glaze – Mix honey and soy sauce together to use for the chicken during cooking, set aside.
  4. Place the marinaded chicken into an oven proof dish and add 2-3 tablespoons oil, put in the oven and roast for 20 minutes each side
  5. Brush the chicken both sides with the glaze and cook again 10 minutes each side or till cooked through

DIPPING SAUCE

Ingredients: Serves 4

  • 3 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon toasted rice crushed
  • 1 tablespoon chilli flake
  • chopped spring onion
  • 1 tablespoon chopped coriander

Method

  1. Mix ingredients in a bowl and garnish with fresh herbs

Day Three - Italian

Risotto

Ingredients: Serves 2

  • 2 tsp Oil
  • 50g parmesan grated
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed into a paste
  • 1/2 shallot, finely chopped
  • 150g risotto rice
  • 500ml vegetable stock
  • 100g veg of choice
  • lemon zest and juice
  • fresh chives, plus parsley/basil

Method:

  1. Finely dice the onion and crush the garlic into a paste using salt.
  2. Add oil in a saucepan and cook the onion on a medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, careful not to burn the garlic.
  3. Add the rice and stir through the onions, cooking for a minute.
  4. Then add a ladle of the stock. Once the stock is reduced, add another ladle and repeat the process until the stock is all used and the rice is just cooked.
  5. Add your veg and lemon zest with the final ladle of stock.
  6. Finish with grated parmesan, chopped herbs and a squeeze of lemon

 

Beef Lasagne

Ingredients: Serves 2

  • 1tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1 small carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 celery stick, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 200g of beef mince
  • 400g of chopped tomatoes
  • 1tbsp of tomato puree
  • salt and pepper
  • parmesan and basil to serve
  • Pasta Sheets

Method:

  1. Place a saucepan on medium heat and add splash of olive oil. Sauté the onions and add garlic after 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt at this stage. Add celery and carrot, saute for another couple of minutes.
    Add the beef and cook it until you can’t see any raw meat, also try to crumble it as much as you can, you don’t want any big “meatballs”.
  2. Add all the tomatoes, and possibly a splash of water if the sauce feels too thick.
  3. Cook the sauce, on medium-low, for at least 1 hour, but ideally 1 hour and 30 minutes.

 

Béchamel Sauce

Ingredients: Serves 2

  • 50g Butter
  • 50g Plain Flour
  • 500ml Whole Milk

Method: 

  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the plain flour. Stir continuously until a paste forms – this is called a roux. Continue cooking for 2 mins. 
  2.  Add the milk to the roux gradually, stirring as you go, until you get a smooth sauce. Cook for 5-10 mins, stirring continuously, until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste.
  3. You can turn this basic sauce into mac and cheese or cauliflower cheese sauce by adding 150g of grated cheddar or mozzarella.
  4. If the sauce is too stringy you can quickly blend it for a smoother texture.

Assembly:

  1. At the bottom of your dish, add a thin layer of béchamel. Then add a pasta sheet, pressing down gently.
  2. Add a layer of your Bolognese, then a layer of béchamel and then a pasta sheet. 
  3. Repeat number 2 until you have 3 layers.
  4. Heat the oven at 180.
  5. Bake for 1 hour or until the top is bubbling and golden.

 

Eton Mess

Ingredients: Serves 2

  • 1 Meringue Nest
  • 250g Strawberries
  • 225ml Double Cream
  • 1 tbsp Caster Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Method:

  1. Whip the cream with 1 tbsp of Caster sugar until the cream begins to hold its shape.
  2. Chop the Strawberries.
  3. Break the meringue into chunks.
  4. Spoon some cream into a dish or glass, add some meringue, and a few Strawberries.
  5. Top with another spoonful of cream and repeat until each dish is full.

 

Day Four - Indian

Lamb Momos

Ingredients: Makes 6-8

  • x8 dumpling wrappers – thicker ones are easier to fold.
  • 150g of minced lamb
  • 1x spring onion, sliced
  • 1/2 tsp of ground cumin
  • ½ tsp of mild curry powder
  • 2x clove of garlic, minced
  • 1x small red chilli, finely chopped
  • 1x shallot, diced
  • 1x lime zest
  • 1x handful of chopped coriander
  • Seasoning

Method:

  1. Mix all the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl and chill for 30 minutes.
  2. Divide the dough into balls (each should weigh about 20g). Dust your work surface with flour and roll the balls into thin circles using a rolling pin.
  3. Spoon about 1 tsp filling in the centre of one circle, then use your thumb and forefinger to pinch together an edge of the dough into a fold (you can use cold water to seal).
  4. Continue to pinch along the edge of the circle and work your way all the way round.
  5. Bring all the pinched edges of the circle together to cover the filling and twist the top to seal it. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.
  6. Fill a bamboo steamer with water, layer the base with baking parchment and pierce some holes in it.
  7. Place the momos on the baking parchment and steam for 20 mins. They should look transparent and not feel sticky when fully cooked. Keep warm while you steam the rest (if doing in batches).
  8. Serve with mint yoghurt.

Raita:

Ingredients: Serves 8

  • 250g Greek yogurt
  • 1 garlic clove
  • thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated
  • ½ small pack coriander, chopped
  • 0.25 small pack mint, leaves chopped
  • juice 0.5 lime
  • ½ tsp garam masala, plus a little extra to serve
  • ¼ cucumber, grated and lightly squeezed

Method:

  1. Mix all the ingredients and season. Serve sprinkled with extra garam masala.

Chicken Balti

Ingredients: Serves 4

  • 450g skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ¼ tsp hot chilli powder
  • 1½ tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 cardamom pods, split
  • 1 small to medium green chilli
  • ½ tsp cumin seed
  • 1 medium onion, coarsely grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
  • 2½ cm-piece ginger, grated
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 250ml organic passata
  • 1 red pepper, deseeded, cut into small chunks
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • 85g baby spinach leaves
  • handful fresh coriander, chopped
  • chapatis or basmati rice, to serve (optional)

Method:

  1. Put the chicken in a medium bowl. Mix in the lime juice, paprika, chilli powder and a grinding of black pepper (step 1), then leave to marinate for at least 15 mins, preferably a bit longer.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large non-stick wok or sauté pan. Tip in the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, whole chilli and cumin seeds, and stir-fry briefly just to colour and release their fragrance (step 2). Stir in the onion, garlic and ginger and fry over a medium-high heat for 3-4 mins until the onion starts to turn brown. Add the remaining oil, then drop in the chicken and stir-fry for 2-3 mins or until it no longer looks raw. Mix the turmeric, cumin, ground coriander and garam masala together. Tip into the pan, lower the heat to medium and cook for 2 mins (step 3). Pour in the passata and 150ml water, then drop in the chunks of pepper. When starting to bubble, lower the heat and simmer for 15-20 mins or until the chicken is tender.
  3. Stir in the tomato, simmer for 2-3 mins, then add the spinach and turn it over in the pan to just wilt. Season with a little salt. If you want to thin down the sauce, splash in a little more water. Remove the cinnamon stick, chilli and cardamom pods, if you wish, before serving. Scatter with fresh coriander and serve with warm chapatis or basmati rice, if you like.

Lamb Samosa

Ingredients: Makes 4-6

  • Half of your Momo Lamb mix.
  • 6 Samosa Wrappers.

Method (Assembly):

  1. Make a runny flour paste with a tablespoon of flour and water.
  2. Cut the samosa pastry to size.
  3. You need to make a pocket to fill – practice makes perfect and there are plenty of how-to videos on YouTube to help!  Fold one corner inwards forming the shape of your triangle, with an overhang; repeat this the other way which gives  you the pouch to fill.
  4. Fill the samosa with the potato filling (around 1 to 2 tsp). Don’t overfill the samosa.
  5. Now apply the flour paste again around the edges of the cone to seal it. Pinch the edges and seal the samosa.
  6. Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry until golden brown and crispy.

Day Five - USA

Burger Bun

Ingredients: Makes 6 buns

  • 185g Plain Flour
  • 80g Water
  • 20g Vegetable or Sunflower oil
  • 1 tsp Fast Action Yeast
  • Pinch of Salt
  • Pinch of Sugar

Method:

  1. In a bowl at flour, yeast, salt and sugar and combine.
  2. slowly add your liquids until a dough is formed.
  3. Take the dough with your hand until it becomes a springy dough.   If your dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. If too crumbly, add a little more water.
  4. Set Aside – it doesn’t need to rest for long, but you can wait until you need to cook. 
  5. After you have rested it, spilt the dough and roll into 3 balls and place on a baking tray to prove.
  6. Once proved place in a preheated oven at 190 for 20 minutes.

Burger

Ingredients: Serves 1

  • 200g 12% Minced Beef
  • 1/4 Diced Red Onion
  • Pinch Chilli Flakes
  • 1/2 Beaten Egg
  • 1 tbsp Panko Breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp Grated Parmesan
  • 1 tsp Frenchies Mustard
  • 1 tsp Ketchup
  • Salt & Cracked Black Pepper

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Try to use only half of the egg (the other half can be used to egg wash the brioche buns)
    Form two patties, place on a tray and refrigerate until firm.
  2. Heat a chargrill pan, frying pan or BBQ until smoking. Season the burgers and then cook for 4 minutes on each side.
  3. Once the burger has a good colour, you can finish it in the oven if you prefer.
  4. Serve with lettuce, tomato, cheese, gherkins and condiments.

Burger Sauce

Ingredients:  Serves 2

  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 25g pickled gherkins, drained and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp American mustard

Method:

  1. Mix all the ingredients together, then serve spooned over burgers or hotdogs.

Wedges

Ingredients: Serves 4

  • 3 large Sweet potatoes (around 1kg)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Method:

  1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Cut the potatoes into chunky wedges, then boil in the water for 7 mins. Drain and leave to steam dry for 5 mins.
  2. Spread the wedges out on a large baking sheet or two smaller ones. Toss with the oil and 1 tsp salt (preferably sea salt) and spread out so that they aren’t overlapping. Roast for 30 mins, turning halfway until golden and crisp.

Mac & Cheese

Ingredients: Serves 1

  • 120g Cooked Macaroni
  • 50g Grated Cheddar Cheese
  • 40g Plain Flour
  • 40g Butter
  • 300ml Whole Milk
  • 1/2 Mozzarella Ball
  • Salt & Cracked Black Pepper

Method:

  1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then stir in the flour until smooth.
  2. Add the milk a quarter at a time and stir until thick and glossy before adding more.
    Once all of the milk is added and the sauce is smooth.
  3. Add the cheese and stir until melted.
  4. Season and taste.
  5. Add the coriander, then stir in the pasta.
  6. Transfer to one or two oven-proof dishes. Top with some torn mozzarella and bake until golden brown on top.

Chicken Wings

Ingredients: Serves 2

  • 10 Chicken Wings
  • 2 tbsp of Oil
  • 1 tbsp of Garlic Powder

Method:

For the Chicken:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees, line your tray with baking paper.
  2. Place the wings in a large bowl and dry with a paper towel.
  3. Add the oil, seasoning and garlic powder.
  4. Place the wings on a tray, skin side up and bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on a size (until nicely coloured).

We hope you enjoyed activities week

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