Home takeaway tip: the secret to burger structural integrity is buttering and toasting the cut surfaces of the bun. This gives you a great crisp texture and stops the oozy sauces and burger juices from causing the bun to disintegrate.
Billy Law’s curry laksa
Home takeaway tip: don’t be tempted to use a store-bought curry paste in laksa, you’ll never match the intensity of flavour from a fresh, homemade paste.
Home takeaway tip: when rolling up a souvlaki, fold the bottom of the flatbread up slightly, to stop the filling falling out, then roll in from the sides.
Home takeaway tip: cook your pizza in as hot an oven as you can. A pizza stone will help you get a nice crisp base – always pre-heat your stone from a cold oven and use a coarse flour (such as rice flour or cornmeal) to dust the stone to make it easier to remove the pizza.
Home takeaway tip: tortillas are really easy to make, so do give it a go! If you do buy pre-made ones, don’t just go for a cheap supermarket brand. Find a deli that sells authentic Mexican tortillas (they usually sell in large quantities but you’ll eat more than you think and they keep well in the freezer).
Home takeaway tip: Anjum says an authentic vindaloo is lighter than the traditional takeaway style, using more complex Goan flavours in its spices. Anjum recommends, for the best flavour, to cook the pork in minimal liquid so it stews in its own juices.
Home takeaway tip: marinading overnight in buttermilk tenderises the chicken and ensures it doesn’t dry out when it’s cooking (this is particularly important with breast meat). If you don’t have buttermilk, you can mix lemon juice into some regular milk of plain yoghurt, for a similar result.
Home takeaway tip: use a wooden chopstick to check whether a pan of oil is hot enough for deep-frying. Put the chopstick into the oil: when small bubbles rise to the surface. the temperature is just right.
If you're looking for more homemade fast-food goodness, check out food-truck king Raph Rashid's book, Hungry For That.