How can I use up.....

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

I've been going through my cupboards this afternoon (exciting times chez Gasp0de!). I have lots of jars and packets of stuff bought with a vague idea of using them in some recipe but which have then got forgotten about. I want to be thrifty and use them up over the next few months.

So, does anyone have any good recipes that use any of the following?

• Turmeric puree, a free gift from Ocado - is it any good for cooking? Is it just a much more expensive way of using powdered turmeric, which I've often used in Indian dishes? Google suggests that in paste form it's mostly used by people who think it has wonderful medicinal qualities.

• Tamarind sauce. I have no clue why I bought this.

• Star anise, of which I have a huge amount. I think I ordered two jars by mistake once.

• Quinoa, half a packet left from the one time I tried it. I seem to recall it was OK but not the best thing ever.

Anybody else want to pitch in with stuff from the back of their cupboards?

Thanks in advance!

Deliciously Ella has lots of tasty things to do with quinoa - maybe try Chickpea, Quinoa and Turmeric Curry, or Quinoa Ginger Porridge.

She also has a Warming Turmeric Tonic, which I'd say would use the puree well.

I've used a tamarind sauce before with quorn pieces, green beans and rice. A quick, 10 minute meal

Thanks both! That's a start.

Good ideas for miso, anyone?

www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/11/chairman-maos-red-braised-pork-recipe.html
Fuscia dunlops red pork- it only uses one star anise but it's such a good recipe I thought I'd share.

annajones.co.uk/recipe/quinoa-with-greens-%E2%80%A8-pistachio-pesto%E2%80%A8-and-10-favourite-quinoa-recipes
Anna jones quinoa and greens here is great ( and healthy) plus there's a list of other quinoa recipes at the bottom .

My lurking packet is dried mung beans . Wtf was i thinking? I've hundreds of cookbooks not one holds a recipe including them. Any suggestions?

Miso soup!

It makes a good marinade to steal or chicken, put miso, pepper, rice vinegar and soy in a zip lock back with a steak and rub in. Marinade for 20mins +. It's lovely- very savoury

*steak

Funnily enough, I just made beef rendang, which uses both tamarind paste and star anise.

Use the tamarind for a padthai. Use the quinoa for some beetroot and quinoa burgers.

I like blackened chicken with quinoa salad from Jamie Oliver's 15 minute meals & it uses half a packet at a time.

I use the a star anise in Jamie's get ahead gravy but only one so won't get through any great quantity.

Have never used your other ingredients but I reckon you might use tamarind sauce in a phad Thai?

Beef rendang for tamarind and star anise. Use the turmeric for pilau rice.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/grilled-miso-salmon-rice-noodles try the salmon from here with this quinoa recipe? www.myrecipes.com/recipe/quick-cured-sake-salmon-with-quinoa

Beef in ginger beer with tamarind paste is a slow cooker classic in this house - basically beef, tamarind paste, garlic and a can of ginger beer slow cooked for hours.

turmeric i use loads in easy curries. I'd make a dhal and have it with mixed rice and quinoa.

Quinoa also good for salads but it does need dressing - it is a vehicle for flavour rather than flavour itself IMHO

Mung beans - wash and soak overnight in water. In the morning, drain off most of the water, leaving just enough to keep the beans moist. Cover and keep in a warm/ sunny place. Every 2-3 hours give the beans a toss (so the ones at the bottom can come up), and sprinkle a bit of water if they look dry. Depending on how warm they've been, the beans will start sprouting. Once you can see 1mm long sprouts on most of them, you can eat them raw in a salad, or steam lightly. I like to add salt, pepper, lemon juice, fine chopped onion, cucumber and tomato. Very protein rich!

Thanks all, this all looks very promising. I'll remember that about mung beans too, but they are amongst the very few dried pulses I haven't stockpiled...

Look up yottam ottolenghis mung bean, feta and carrot salad. Was in the guardian so it should be online. I love it!

I use miso as a base for veggie stir fry sauces. It's delicious mixed with soy sauce, rice wine (or dry sherry), but of sugar, some chilli paste.

Pop a star anise in any curry or in pilau/boiled rice for extra flavour.

Mung beans are used to make beansprouts, so you'd have a source for loads of Chinese dishes.

Miso is lovely in a salad dressing with soy and grated ginger. 'Cookie and kate' has a recipe for this and she does a lot of quinoa stuff too.

Thanks for the mung bean idea - have had some lurking here for a while. Plus world's supply of pudding rice though found a nice recipe to use as korean style sticky rice.

My main use for star anise is in Hot Whisky Toddy.

Whisky, hot water, small spoonful of sugar, then add a slice of lemon studded with cloves, and a couple of star anise. Perfect on a cold night, or if you are feeling a bit sniffly.

Or when you are next stewing fruit stick a couple into the pan. The traditional one is plums, but it works nicely with rhubarb too.

Any ideas how to use up preserved lemons?

I bought a jar for a recipe, and still have most of it taking up space in the fridge.

Pasta sauce, most of them use lemons

Preserved lemons?? The ones in a jar? Can't think what pasta sauce I'd put them in. You can't juice them; you use them whole/chopped up.

Finely chopped into any tagine or Moroccan style dish.

I put a star anise in bolongrse sauce while simmering BUT make sure it's a massive pot full - at least 1kg of meat per star anise and take out after 20 mins. It adds the same flavour as basil but a bit cheaper. But v easy to over do. On the other hand, you do get through a jar of it quite quickly this way.