Hairy Bikers Ginger Cake With Chilli Recipes

STICKY STEM GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 170C/150C/Gas 3. Line a 30x20cm/12x8in tin with baking parchment (a straight-sided brownie tin would be perfect).
• Sieve the flour into a large bowl along with the spices and mix lightly to combine.
• Put the butter, sugar, syrups and treacle into a saucepan (to make it easier to spoon out the syrup and treacle, oil a spoon first - the syrup will then just slide off). Melt everything together over a gentle heat.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, bicarbonate of soda and eggs. Gradually add the contents of the saucepan to the flour, making sure everything is well combined. You will end up with a very wet, pourable batter. Stir through the stem ginger (if using).
• Bake in the oven for between 45 minutes and an hour. When the edges have pulled back slightly from the side of the tin and the gingerbread is springy to touch, it will be done.
• Cool in the tin for half an hour and then turn out onto a wire rack. If you can, wrap and keep for a few days before eating - the gingerbread's stickiness will develop as it matures.

CRAB CAKES WITH SWEET CHILLI & GINGER DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the dipping sauce, blend the garlic, chillies, ginger, lime leaves, lemongrass and coriander in a food processor until very finely chopped. Tip the sugar into a small saucepan, add 3 tbsp water and heat gently to dissolve. Continue to cook for another min or so until the syrup starts to thicken slightly.
• Add the chilli and ginger mixture, and continue to cook for a further 2-3 mins. Then stir in the rice vinegar, fish sauce and soy sauce. Remove from the heat and leave to cool to room temperature.
• Cook the beans in a small pan of boiling salted water for 1-2 mins until tender. Drain and refresh under cold running water, then leave to dry on kitchen paper. Mix the crab with the cooked beans and all the remaining ingredients, apart from the sunflower oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and shape into 8 small patties.
• Heat 1-2 tbsp sunflower oil in a frying pan and cook 4 crab cakes at a time until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and keep warm while you cook the remainder. Serve with the sweet chilli dipping sauce.