Veganuary is upon us, and even if you aren't going full vegan, you may be cutting back on meat for the post Christmas period.
Few cuisines pack as much punchy flavour as Thailand, but so many of the ready made sauces are insipid compared to the fiery curries you can enjoy in South East Asia.
Farang, an award-winning Thai restaurant in Highbury which has a certificate of authenticity from the UK's Thai embassy, has a handy sideline in cook at home pastes, stir in, and dipping sauces.
Payst began as a pandemic offshoot for the restaurant, which is playfully named after the Thai slang for 'foreigner.' It was founded by Sebby Holmes after he fell for the country's cuisine during a tour of South East Asia, and started to blend Thai cooking techniques with Thai and British ingredients.
He started trading from the back of his car on London street markets before moving into a former Italian restaurant in Highbury Park. Eight years on, his dishes such as green curry mussels with ginger and pickled cucumber, and massaman lamb shank with pineapple, peanuts and sweet basil, have won him a Michelin Bib Gourmand for five years running, made the National Restaurant Awards top 100, and the OpenTable Top 100 restaurants for 2023.
If you want to get a feel for Holmes' cooking without leaving your own doorstep, then Payst sells small pots of freshly-blitzed intense flavour for just £4.25. A gift pack for a very reasonable £23.25 has six pots; You fry off the mix of garlic, chilli, ginger lemongrass etc, add veg or meat and coconut milk or stock to make a meal for two, and accompany with rice or noodles.
There's a green, red or yellow curry paste, plus a massaman, jungle and spicy coconut. Be warned Holmes doesn't stint on the chillis, but the result is better than any Thai take-away in my bit of North London.
Dipping sauces include classic sweet chilli, the fabulous burnt chilli, and an unusual ginger and sweet green chilli for £5.25. If you've ever struggled to recreate the evocative taste of a Pad Thai there are also stir fry sauces; Mushroom and Garlic, the classic Kra Phao and a Pad Thai both vegan and non vegan for £5.49.
Holmes is so keen to share his brilliant cooking that he publishes recipes on his website.
Order Payst by 4pm for next-day delivery with free delivery if you spend over £45. As they say at Payst "Happy New Year and Happy Cooking."
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