Masterchef presenter and Streatham Hill resident John Torode has revealed his tips for culinary heaven in Streatham: "shop local".

Torode said: "We are really spoilt for choice around here, with greengrocers and fishmongers and the like. It’s a great place to live."

Not that the 44-year-old's years in Streatham have all been plain sailing. He has been battling with fellow Sternhold Avenue residents against an unsightly rail depot built behind their house five years ago.

The straight-talking chef summed it up: "To put it bluntly the whole situation is a load of rubbish."

Torode spoke to the Streatham Guardian ahead of Masterchef Live event being held this weekend at Olympia.

The event is the next stage for the Masterchef brand, which has grown into one of the most popular programmes on TV since Torode and his co-presenter Greg Wallace joined in 2005.

He said: "I think its popularity is to do with the fact so many people love cooking. You get to see the good and the bad. Great cooks, and bad cooks. But I think mainly people love watching the great cooks."

He is clearly excited about this weekend’s event which will not only see all past winners of Masterchef return to compete against each other, but give visitors the chance to take on the infamous "invention test" where they will have 30 minutes to cook for top chefs.

The best dishes will then be tried by Torode and Wallace.

But he is aware opening up their taste buds to the public may mean trying a less than tasty dish or two.

He said: "Sometimes you just look at food and know its going to taste horrible."

Below is a recipe for pumpkin and chicken soup with beansprouts and coriander, taken from John Torode's Chicken and Other Birds.

Pumpkin and chicken soup with beansprouts and coriander

Serves six

Ingredients

• 300ml vegetable oil

• 50g fresh chillies, thinly sliced

• 50g garlic, thinly sliced

• 50g shallots, thinly sliced

• 100g red curry paste

• 30g palm sugar

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 4cm chunks

• 2 x 400ml cans coconut milk

• 175ml coconut cream

• 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

• 2 tbsp lime pickle

• 3 lemongrass stalks, crushed

• 4 chicken breast fillets, cut into strips or chunks

• 500g precooked mung bean noodles or egg noodles

• 100g fresh beansprouts, picked

• 1 small bunch coriander, picked

Adding lime pickle was a last-minute thing when I first made this dish – I wanted a little more piquancy and spice.

Normally I wouldn’t add an Indian flavour to a Thai recipe, but the result is fragrant, sweet, sour, hot and salty, with all the flavours taken up by the rich, floury noodles.

The fried garnish is optional.

Heat the oil in a wok and add the sliced chillies.

Cook slowly over a gentle heat until all the moisture from the chillies has evaporated (at which point the oil will stop bubbling), then raise the heat slightly, so that they caramelise and crisp up – without turning too dark. Remove and repeat the process with the garlic, then the shallots.

Set them all aside.

Drain off all but 80ml or so of the oil.

Add the red curry paste to the wok and fry for 2 minutes, then add the palm sugar and let it cook with the curry paste for 4 minutes, until sticky and fragrant.

Add the butternut squash, stir well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour in the coconut milk and coconut cream, then add the fish sauce, lime pickle and lemongrass.

Bring to the boil and cook for 20-30 minutes over a medium heat until the squash is soft but not mushy.

Add the chicken, return to the boil and cook for 5 minutes but no longer.

Put your precooked noodles in a bowl and pour boiling water over them to reheat.

Leave for 2 minutes, then drain. Divide the noodles among serving bowls and add a few pieces of squash per portion.

Pour in the remaining soup and garnish with the fried chillies, garlic and shallots, plus the beansprouts and coriander.

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