the indolent cook

easy cheesy spinach frittata (quick and simple)

2013-05-16T02:39:00.002+10:00

Baked frittata. Easy, cheesy, spinachy.

Hello, frittata.

You're just so good, so easy. Delicious warm, but also cold. Suitable for all seasons: cool and convenient picnic fare for summer, warm and comforting at home in winter. I think I love you a little. Or a lot.

This can be as simple as anything. A bit of butter, a bit of garlic. Whisked eggs and yoghurt. Spinach and cheese. But of course, I can get fancy with you, too. I can stir in some basil, throw in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes. So many possibilities, so many variations of deliciousness.

I gleefully top you with cheese before putting you into the oven. Who doesn't like a cheesy crust, after all.

How my easy cheesy spinach frittata looked before it went into the oven. Just in case you're interested.

The hot oven worked its magic. You look nice, frittata. Oh yes, you do.

Easy cheesy spinach frittata, hot from the oven.

Cross-section of easy cheesy spinach frittata.

easy cheesy spinach frittata

1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
5 large eggs (around 55-60g/2oz each)
1 pinch salt, or to taste*
2 pinches black pepper, or to taste
1.5 cups baby spinach leaves, firmly packed
1/2 + 1/3 cup roughly grated/shredded cheddar, or other cheese*
1/4 cup sweet basil leaves (optional, but awesome)
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (optional, but awesome)
1/4 cup unsweetened natural or greek yoghurt

Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) fan-forced (200°C/390°F conventional).

In a 20cm/8" oven-safe pan, warm up the butter over low to medium heat and gently fry the garlic until soft and golden. Swirl to coat all inner surfaces of the pan with the melted butter, and spread out the garlic across the pan with a fork.

In a bowl, whisk eggs with salt and pepper until the whites and yolks blend together smoothly. Gradually trickle in yoghurt, whisking all the time. Stir through the spinach and 1/2 cup cheese, as well as the basil and sun-dried tomatoes, if using.

Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Scatter the top with the remaining 1/3 cup cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes or a little longer, until a puffed golden with hints of brown.

Cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. It will sink and shrink as it cools, and become easier to remove from the pan with time. Cut slices straight out from the pan, or if you're feeling brave, run a knife along the edges and flip it out. (Note: If attempting to do the latter, perhaps use more butter in the initial cooking process, and also wait longer for it to cool.)

Suitable for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, snacks, picnics, anytime really!

* I've made this frittata with both roughly or finely grated cheese (you can use slightly less cheese if going with finely grated). I've tried it with different cheeses - cheddar, grana padano, parmesan / parmigiano-reggiano and pecorino romano. I've found that with a very salty cheese like pecorino, there was no need to add salt at all.

pok pok, docklands

2013-05-09T19:49:00.001+10:00

I met up with a few friends for dinner last month. We became acquainted years ago through the training of the Brazilian martial art, capoeira, and these days, some of us still rock up to classes, while some have moved on to other things. Despite it all, our bonds remain.

So, let's call us.... Capoeiristas Anonymous ™.

Selecting a restaurant for our gathering was no easy task. As it turns out, many places insist on groups of 8+ taking on the set menu option, which wasn't necessarily the best fit for us. Thankfully, there were no such restrictions with Pok Pok (801 - 803 Bourke St, Docklands), so in the end, that was where we merrily went. (And I got Simon to come along, too, despite him not being a member of Capoeiristas Anonymous.)

It was a good choice! The food was satisfying, and the service came not only with patience for the shenanigans of our mischievous group, but also a twinkle in the eye.

I kicked off the proceedings with Thai milk iced tea. This is of a similar standard to other Thai places in Melbourne. Pretty sweet, as expected, but still nice and refreshing.

Pok Pok: Thai milk iced tea ($4).

For starters, we went with some Bangkok street style fresh spring rolls (soft spring roll wrapped around tender chicken, lap cheong, marinated tofu, steamed bean shoot, finely sliced egg omelette and fresh cucumber served with tamarind relish). I'm not always big on sweet-and-savoury dishes, so while I found it to be pleasant, I wasn't carried away. Simon, on the other hand, was rather infatuated, continually asking me if I could re-create it at home.

Pok Pok: Bangkok street style fresh spring rolls ($7.5).

Next up was char-grilled chicken satay (free range chicken marinated in fresh Thai herbs and spices, served with Bangkok street style peanut sauce and cucumber & red onion relish). I really enjoyed this. The chicken was tender and the sauce was thick and satisfying, with the spice and crunch coming through in every bite.

Pok Pok: Char-grilled chicken satay ($7.5).

Simon and I shared two mains amongst us. The first one was the Massaman lamb curry with crisp roti bread (Massaman curry of slow-cooked lamb shank, waxy potatoes, onion, fried shallot and crunchy cashew nuts served with freshly cooked roti bread). I had forgotten that most Thai curries - or, at least, many of the ones I've had - tend to be a bit too sweet for me, so perhaps I made a minor mistake in ordering this. The lamb also didn't fall off the bone as easily as I'd hoped. However, the bread was delicious - if a tad greasy - like a flaky, crispy fried love child of roti and naan. It also matched well with the sweetness of the curry, thus rescuing me somewhat from my quandary.

Pok Pok: Massaman lamb curry with crisp roti bread ($14.5).

And here's the crowd favourite, roast pork belly and dry green peppercorn (crisp pork belly stir-fried with green peppercorn curry paste, crunchy green beans, kaffir lime leaves, chilli and basil served on Thai jasmine rice). This was so good. Generously spicy, with an amiable crunch, a hint of fattiness, and a touch of stickiness - a smorgasbord of elements that enticed me to tuck in, again and again.

Pok Pok: Roast pork belly and dry green peppercorn ($13.5).

I also managed to sneak in a couple of samples from my friends' dishes. (No pictures, though - I didn't want to subject my friends to food-blogger-terrorism, ha!)

The wok-fried Angus beef with oyster sauce (wok tossed Angus beef in oyster sauce with splash of Chinese cooking wine and stir-fried with shimeji mushrooms, broccoli and onion, served with Thai jasmine rice) was a suitably delicious option for J, who wanted non-spicy fare: it's like a more upmarket and elegant take on a Chinese-style stir-fry, complete with a fragrant smokiness from the wok.

I also tasted a spoonful of D's stir-fried chilli basil chicken with fried egg “Krapow Gai Kai Dow” (free range chicken mince lightly stir-fried with chilli & holy basil, snake beans, banana chilli and served with fried egg together on Thai jasmine rice). Once more, I was impressed. This is a familiar dish, one that I've ordered in many other Thai restaurants, and the version here is excellent - something I can recommend.

We couldn't leave without a sugar fix, of course.

I opted for the coconut ice cream in sweet brioche sandwich, which came with the typical Southeast Asian toppings of palm seeds, sweet corn and peanuts. I appreciated the coconut ice cream, which was gentle and not too sweet. I'm not too sure how I feel about everything else - the brioche made this more of a heavy dessert, and the corn seemed slightly dry and half-frozen - so I think I would've been happy to just have the ice cream by itself and forgo the rest.

Pok Pok: Coconut ice cream with sweet brioche sandwich in syrup, topped with palm seed, sweet corn and roasted peanuts ($6.5).

The others unanimously decided upon the fried roti with fresh banana and Nutella. It's a small serving, especially compared to what I got, and I only stole a tiny morsel of this. My memory is slightly fuzzy, but I do vaguely remember liking it.

Pok Pok: Fried roti with fresh banana and Nutella ($8.5).

When all's said and done, the Capoeiristas Anonymous had a delightful time, and Pok Pok is the sort of place that I would love to have as my local - I lament that it is not so. A few things didn't fully hit the target for me, but several dishes I would very, very joyfully consume again (e.g. the satay, pork belly, Angus beef and chilli-basil chicken mentioned above). Plus, there are yet more affordable items on the menu that caught my eye and begged another visit. I'm up for round two, if anyone else is!

honey yoghurt beetroot smoothie

2013-05-01T21:17:00.001+10:00

honey yoghurt beetroot smoothie.

It's autumn now, and nearly winter, but I'm clearly still in denial, still making bright and cheerful smoothies. Indeed, why not? They are so easy, so delicious, so satisfying. And today's beetroot smoothie is so, so wonderfully pink, in a fuchsia-magenta kind of way. It is also sweet, earthy, and revitalising.

In other words, wherever you're at, be it cool or warm... if beetroot is in season, this is a smoothie that you should seriously consider making.

A happy pair of sweet, earthy beetroot smoothies.

honey yoghurt beetroot smoothie
(serves 2)

1 small beetroot, peeled and chopped (approx. 150g / 1/3lb)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup unsweetened natural or greek yoghurt
2 tablespoons honey
8 ice cubes

Whiz everything together in a blender until smooth. Pour into glasses, and serve.

You may strain the mixture to remove any grittiness from beetroot roughage, but as I am lazy and appreciate the extra fibre, I didn't bother.

recent delights: organic pasta; dinner @ itali.co, st kilda; fig & fennel bread @ rustica sourdough bakery, fitzroy

2013-04-25T02:37:00.000+10:00

Oh hello! I think I'm way overdue for another post on some of the recent odds-and-ends in my food world. Today's going to be a carb-heavy issue. Pasta, pizzas and bread. You've been warned.

So first of all let's talk pasta. I bought some organic pasta from the shops some months ago, which I've been meaning to blog about, because they're pretty different from the standard pasta I usually eat.

These lovely little morsels pictured below are strozzapreti tricolore from Montebello in Italy. Prior to this, I've not had pasta in the strozzapreti shape, so the mere novelty of it all engaged me. Plus, it apparently means priest strangler in Italian, which also brings forth the question, does everything just sound better in Italian? Also, they come in three colours. Technically, it's really four - we've got the chilli ones in red, the nettle ones in green, the wholemeal ones in brown and the classic ones in beige. They're gorgeous AND tasty. The chilli is distinctive, and it will infuse the pasta water with a good dose of heat. The nettle ones have a pleasantly earthy taste, similar to spinach. I have to confess that I've been cooking them in a rather un-Italian fashion, using them in lieu of noodles in my Asian-style broths. I quite like them that way!

Montebello - Strozzapreti Tricolore Pasta.

Getting a bit closer to home, and with less food miles, we have Australian-made pasta, too. Hurrah! These are mixed olive leaves from L'Abruzzese, a South Australian company. The green ones are flavoured with spinach powder. The "leaves" are so charmingly rustic, and they also cook up well, retaining a great al dente bite. I figured that they would go beautifully in a gentle, creamy base, so I tossed them through some mascarpone, as well as some other ingredients I no longer remember. My instincts proved correct - it was a delicious match. I've noticed L'Abruzzese also have pasta in native Australian flavours (lemon myrtle! wattleseed! excitement!!), as well as a gluten-free range made with buckwheat, chickpea, rice and lentil flours. Buoyed by my good experience here, I might try those next time.

L'Abruzzese - Mixed Olive Leaves.

I bought both of the above pastas at Ripe the Organic Grocer in Prahran Market, but you can probably find them in other stores that stock a good range of organic pasta, as well. Or you may find something else which is just as fun to cook and eat!

- - -

Moving on. I recently accepted an invitation to a complimentary dinner at itali.co ( 1/173-177 Barkly St, St Kilda) to experience a set menu created by head chefs Piero Roldo and Lino Maglione.

Firstly, we were treated to some kitchen demonstrations - a behind-the-scenes look at how they make pasta and pizza. Here's a fleeting shot I managed to catch of one of the steps to creating a squid ink tagliolini.

The making of squid ink pasta at Itali.co.

We ate so much and I won't be posting all the photos here, but if you'd like a comprehensive pictorial summary you can check them out under the Media/PR Events album in my Facebook page.

I shall indeed share with you my favourite savoury and sweet dishes of the night, however.

Behold...

Slow-cooked boneless rack of rabbit, filled with sun-dried tomatoes, olives and basil, served with a red cabbage strudel, and carrot puree.

The description alone is enticing enough, but I did not anticipate how well-executed and beautifully cooked it would be, and in turn, how much I would love it. The rabbit came out in the form of a succulent involtini, rolled with little tangy, salty and herbaceous hits from the tomatoes, olives and basil. The red cabbage strudel, put simply, was like delicious sauerkraut in pastry. The carrot puree was smooth, unctuous, and indulgent. I adored all of it.

Rabbit involtini, red cabbage strudel and carrot puree at Itali.co.

My favourite dessert of the night was the strawberry nutella pizza. You're probably not surprised.

For days afterwards, I would get random cravings for that delicious chocolatey hazelnut spread that we all know and love. I fairly blame it on this pizza. It's a simple concept and a flavour combination that has been no doubt done many times in many places, but what really elevated this pizza was that gorgeous crust. I could try to replicate this pizza at home (and ha, I probably will) - the toppings will be easy - but that perfectly cooked dough, with its beguiling stretch and crunch... I'll have to come back here for that.

Strawberry Nutella pizza at Itali.co.

Other notes: The general quality of the food I sampled here was excellent. A few didn't quite grab me so much, but besides the two dishes mentioned above, there were several others that I enjoyed - the pan-fried Canadian scallops with cauliflower pannacotta, the black ink tagliolini with assorted seafood (especially when drizzled with the chilli oil condiment on the table), and all the other pizzas I tried - one was a lovely summery one with swordfish on an eggplant base, and the other a deliciously pungent mushroom and truffle pizza. Additionally, a shout out to owner, Remo Nicolini, who was an excellent host - he is clearly passionate about food and it really shows in the way he runs the place.

- - -

Last, but not least, in this series of carb-laden treats...

Hi, bread with juicy figs and aromatic fennel seeds. Why art thou so yummy?

This is the fig and fennel ficelle from Rustica Sourdough Bakery (402 Brunswick St, Fitzroy). Apparently this bakery has been around for quite awhile, but Simon and I only stumbled upon it recently when he wanted some takeaway coffee. We went in and discovered the ficelle. I also discovered, unsurprisingly, that it is even more delicious toasted, with butter. What isn't, really.

- - -

What are some of your recent delights?

book review: sushi for kids, by kaoru ono

2013-04-17T22:40:00.001+10:00

the children's book, sushi for kids, by kaoru ono.

Back in February, my friend Scott had a birthday picnic.

In the invitation he writes...

"Instead of finding something for me, let's make a donation of toys or books to the Royal Children's Hospital / Smith's Family. So if you do feel compelled to bring something, bring a kid's toy / book that you think reflects me or our friendship and we'll make a few kids happy. =)"

I met Scott a long, long time ago, when I was still new to life in Melbourne, Australia, and he was the one to first introduce me to the art of making sushi, and the loveliness of raw fish.

It stands to reason that the gift I chose for the as-yet-unknown young recipient, hopefully an adventurous food lover, is a children's book by Tokyo-born author and illustrator Kaoru Ono (translated to English by Peter Howlett and Richard McNamara).

a page from the book.

The story starts with a little boy, Atsushi, enjoying sushi at his grandfather's birthday. Later, he takes a trip to the Tsukiji fish market, learns more about the history of sushi, and finally, how to make sushi. (His pet cat also occasionally makes an appearance - cute, right?)

I learnt quite a few things as I flipped through the pages - for example, I never knew that sushi has its origins as "nare sushi", where fermented rice is used to preserve fish. This combination of rice and fish evolved over time to what we know as sushi today, which is eaten fresh. An interesting fact to me! There are also instructive pages teaching the basic steps to making various sushi - nothing super-comprehensive, but appropriate and sufficient enough for a child who wants to give making sushi a go with the help and supervision of an adult.

sushi-making instructions.

A few final words about the book, for those who may be interesting in procuring their own copy. Not being experienced with kids, I'm not sure for what age range this book is suitable, but I imagine from ages 5 and up could be good - even if they're too young to read the book by themselves, the illustrations could still delight. And if your child likes Japanese food, especially sushi, so much the better!

hammer and tong, fitzroy

2013-04-10T20:38:00.002+10:00

hammer and tong brunch menu.

Fried chicken wings and soft drinks for brunch?

Yeah, that's the sort of thing you can get at Hammer & Tong (412 Brunswick St, Fitzroy).

Simon and I don't normally have carbonated beverages first thing in the morning, but we can be unorthodox once in a while. And, as it turns out, the housemade fizzes at Hammer & Tong are pretty nice - just a light hint of sweetness, which makes it refreshing and a not-so-unhealthy start to the day. Tropicana strikes us as predominantly passion fruit, with hints of pineapple and citrus. Turkish Delight is gentle, floral, rosy, with specks of vanilla.

hammer and tong housemade fizzes, tropicana (left) and turkish delight (right). $3 each.

It seems that our cafe brunches almost invariably includes a baked egg dish. At Hammer & Tong, the eggs are suspended in a tomato fondue, shakshuka-like, with addictive bites of manchego strewn through... please, sir, can I have more of that delicious cheese? On the side we have chorizo and flatbread to complete the picture.

hammer and tong baked eggs in tomato fondue, chorizo, manchego and flatbread. $17.

Then we have the fried chicken wings - nicely done, not too greasy, sweet and sticky in a gotta-eat-with-your-hands-and-lick-your-fingers kind of way. The chilli and crispy fried shallots hint at Asian inspiration, while the mango and pink grapefruit add an extra dimension of juiciness. It was only later, after we left the restaurant, that I realised that our plate didn't seem like it included avocado, as promised in the menu description. Still, it's an oversight I can forgive, all things considered.

hammer and tong fried chicken wings with mango, grapefruit, candied chillies, crisp shallots, avocado and lime. $15.

Hammer & Tong is ridiculously close and convenient for us and I hope to return again soon with Simon. We haven't had much in the way of eating out adventures lately (as you can probably tell from the lack of cafe/restaurant posts in this blog) in an effort to be more frugal - but I would really like to try their truffled duck egg, corn fritters, soft shell crab burger and popping candy pancakes, all of which seem to be fast gaining an excellent reputation. Hopefully my next visit won't be too far in the future.

coconut rhubarb ice pops / icy poles (vegan)

2013-04-03T21:52:00.000+11:00

coconut rhubarb icy pole / ice pop / popsicle.

In Australia we are lucky to have rhubarb available almost all year round. While I feel I should really have produced an ice cream recipe for summer, it's never too late, especially since it's still only mid-autumn, wouldn't you agree? For those of you on the other side of the world, I believe rhubarb is in season now that it's spring, so I hope this works out to be a timely post for all.

In this ice pop recipe, I combine stewed rhubarb with coconut milk for a nicely tangy, gently creamy result. It's simple but something a little different. Try it and let me know what you think...

fresh rhubarb.

coconut rhubarb ice pops
(makes 4 - 6, depending on size of molds)

180g / 6oz / 1.5 cups chopped rhubarb stalks (leaves and ends removed)
1/4 cup raw sugar (or to taste)
2 tablespoons orange juice (may be substituted with another sweet acidic juice, e.g. apple juice, pineapple juice)
2/3 cup coconut milk (I prefer full-fat)
1/4 cup water

Plonk the rhubarb, sugar and citrus juice (if using) in a saucepan. Cook over a medium high heat until it starts to bubble, then turn the heat down to let it simmer, partially covered, until soft, between 5 - 10 minutes.
Blend the rhubarb mixture together with coconut milk and water together until smooth. Do a taste test and add more sugar if desired - give it another thorough blend if doing so.
Pour the rhubarb ice cream batter into ice pop molds.
Freeze until firm - I usually just freeze overnight and start eating the next day. :)

coconut rhubarb popsicle. i took a bite! and finished the whole thing after taking the photo, of course.

giveaway! shiraz & pinot gris, from taylors wineswinner announced

2013-03-26T21:03:00.002+11:00

Come one, come all, wine-sipping Australians!

I'm happy to be offering a little giveaway today, thanks to Taylors Wines. One lucky reader will win two bottles of wine - the juicy, multi-award winning Taylors Estate Shiraz 2010 and a fresh, elegant Taylors Estate Pinot Gris 2011.

There is a lot to feel good about when drinking a glass of wine produced by the Taylor family. These guys are clearly dedicated to their wine - three generations so far and still going strong. Their philosophy of "bringing great wines to life" is based on the imperative of "respect the fruit" - the fruit being, of course, those luscious grapes grown in the beautiful Clare Valley of South Australia. Just as importantly, they are committed to environmentally-friendly and socially-responsible sustainability practices.

So if you'd like to win a couple bottles of wine from Taylors, one red, one white, both sure to bring a lovely warm glow to your day, then here's your chance!

Giveaway details:

This giveaway is open to those with an Australian address only. Winner must be of legal drinking age and provide proof of age upon request.

For a chance to win, please leave a comment telling me what dish you would cook, or order, to go with a bottle of shiraz or pinot gris - or, alternatively, what dish you would create with those wines. I'm looking forward to some scrumptious ideas!

Please ensure that there is some way I can reach you (e-mail address, twitter account, blog URL etc) if you win. The deadline is the 31st of March, 2013 - I'll be going by the time stamp on this blog, which is based in Melbourne, Australia. I'll announce the winner on the 2nd of April by updating this blog post, or you can also keep an eye out on Twitter or Facebook for an announcement.

I will then contact the winner to organise the shipping of the prize.

Thank you Taylors Wines for making this happen!

- - - - - - - - - - - -

*Winner announced!*

Big thanks to all those who left a comment! And the winner is...

msihua!

Thank you for your creative entry, I'll be contacting you to arrange the delivery of your prize. :)

early autumn in the garden, and my parents in melbourne (and a bonus mango fig basil smoothie recipe)

2013-03-21T21:59:00.001+11:00

For the past couple of weeks my parents have been visiting in Melbourne.

Most of the time, they've been staying with my uncle and aunt, further out in the suburbs, but for a few days they squeezed into my little apartment, all three of us sharing one bedroom.

Was it crowded? Yes. Was it cosy? Wonderfully so.

They have now moved on to their next destination, Sydney, to visit another uncle and aunt, and already I miss them. I look around and see how gleaming clean and neat as a pin my apartment is now, thanks to their hard work and magical touch. My fridge is filled with delicious food. My bedroom is totally spruced up. But it also feels a little empty now. You see, for the past few days I've been getting back to my apartment from work to be greeted with smiles and chatter and home-cooked meals. We would eat together, the three of us, and then hang out in my room, chatting about all sorts of things until it's time for bed...

Gah, I'm getting all sentimental. Let's move on to the pictorial part of this post. While they were staying with my uncle and aunt, I visited and had some really lovely times there, too, and I took quite a few pictures. I've blogged about my uncle and aunt's awesome edible garden before so here's more of that. I guess this is sort of an early autumn edition, though the weather has been rather warm this March so you can definitely still see traces of summer.

So, figs are in season...

freshly picked figs.

And the sweet basil is thriving.

sweet basil / italian basil.

Naturally, this prompted me to make a mango-fig-basil smoothie. I used mangoes from the markets and yoghurt from the shops, and, of course, the figs and basil are courtesy of the garden. Whiz it all with some water and ice, and we're good to go.

(Quick recipe! 1 small-to-medium mango's flesh + 4 figs + 1/4 cup yoghurt + 20 sweet basil leaves + drizzle of honey {optional} + 1 cup water + 6 ice cubes, blend and serve.)

a delicious and refreshing mango fig basil smoothie.

The tomatoes are juicy and sweet.

vibrant cherry tomatoes.

Also, purple French beans are pretty. Tasty, too.

pretty purple beans.

Last but not least, I absolutely adore their cat to bits. He would follow me all around the garden as I did my sight-seeing and herb-picking.

Other times, he just sits on the deck chair, like a boss.

cat awesomeness.

So that's pretty much my month of March so far, in a nutshell.

I hope yours has been just as excellent... feel free to leave a comment letting me know about it!

mix 'n' match summer ceviche

2013-03-14T21:43:00.002+11:00

A summer ceviche, made with odds and ends from the kitchen.

Okay, so I know it's not really summer in Australia anymore... but this is a nice, simple little ceviche that I made some weeks ago that I didn't get around to posting earlier. The main ingredients for creating a tasty ceviche, as far as I'm concerned, are the fish, lime, red onion and chilli components, and all other fruits and vegetables I'd say are negotiable, making this quite a versatile recipe. So feel free to experiment with what's in season, whatever fruits and vegetables you have begging to be used - those that your instincts tell you may go well in this tangy seafood dish. The mix-and-match method was how this ceviche came about for me, after all!

mix 'n' match versatile summer ceviche recipe
(serves 2 as a main, up to 6 as an appetizer)

300g / 2/3lb fresh, mild white fish (e.g. rockling, snapper), skin removed, cut into cubes
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small red chilli, thinly sliced
1/3 - 1/2 cup lime juice (approximately 4 - 5 limes) - enough to generously marinate all above ingredients
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 small stalk celery*, chopped
1 nectarine*, cut into cubes
a bit of chopped mint or coriander/cilantro, if you have it (I didn't... )

Additional: coconut cream, to serve.

*Instead of celery, you may also consider cucumber, fennel, radish, and avocado, to name a few.
*Instead of nectarine, you may also consider other stone fruit e.g. peach, apricot, plum; or melon fruit e.g. honeydew, rockmelon/cantaloupe, watermelon; and how about grapes, strawberries, or corn?

Thoroughly mix fish, red onion, chilli, lime juice and salt together in a glass bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Just before serving, toss through the celery and nectarine or other vegetable/fruit, and the herbs if using. Season with more salt if desired.
Add a dollop of coconut cream on top, if you like, for a smooth creaminess to help balance out the acidity.
Enjoy!

A mix 'n' match, odds 'n' ends ceviche!

cookbook review: ripe

2013-03-07T22:02:00.000+11:00

Let's get excited about fruits and vegetables today. Yes!

Late last year, I was lucky enough to win a giveaway at Zo's lovely blog, Two Spoons, the prize being a copy of the vibrantly presented Ripe, a collaborative cookbook by food writer Cheryl Sternman Rule and photographer Paulette Phlipot, which promises "a fresh, colorful approach to fruits and vegetables".

It delivered.

Ripe, a collaborative cookbook by Cheryl Sternman Rule and Paulette Phlipot.

Ripe is an interesting cookbook, with chapters based around colour groupings of fruits and vegetables: red, orange, yellow, green, purple & blue, white. The pages are flush with vivacious hues and wholesome recipes, all vegetarian, a fact that did not cross my mind until much later, so taken in I was by the tome's dazzling good looks.

Cheryl has a charming, conversational style, and I enjoyed reading her notes on each fruit and vegetable, as well as her tips on how to choose or store them. The recipes are all pretty accessible, with some slightly more involved than others, but none are truly terrifyingly complicated.

This is a book for those who are open to adventure. Each fruit and vegetable comes with only one full recipe, which may be a minus for some, but if you take it as an invitation to work your way through as many different fruits and vegetables as possible, it's a positive, which I think is the intention here. Moreover, Cheryl also garnishes each headnote page with a "Simple Uses" passage, giving an additional three recipe ideas - which are basically just ingredient combinations - for the produce. For those who require explicit instructions, this may be a little daunting, but if you're fairly comfortable in the kitchen, it proffers some lovely inspiration.

the introductory page for green beans.

I ended up picking two very simple recipes from the book to try.

The first one was the Green Beans with Smoky Pistachio Dust. It's no secret that I am rather hopelessly in love with smoked paprika. So when I saw the superbly easy recipe for green beans, vegan and gluten-free to boot, I knew it was mine to devour, and devour it I did. It was just as fabulous as I imagined - al dente green beans, just slightly silky with olive oil, encrusted with crumbled-up, smoky paprika-infused pistachio.

I wrote to Cheryl asking for permission to reproduce one of her recipes here, if I may, and she gave me her blessings. Aren't you lucky? I'll just make it a quick one here, with modified quantities and in my own words:

Prepping the green beans:
Boil 300g / 2/3lb green beans in a pot of salted water for a couple minutes or until al dente, drain. Rinse or drench quickly in cold water, then drain again. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.

Conjuring the smoky pistachio dust, and assembling it all together:
Combine 1/3 cup toasted pistachios, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Process or grind into a fine-grained mixture. Adjust seasonings to taste, then scatter and toss through the green beans. Enjoy.

By the way, this smoky pistachio dust is not only fabulous but also versatile - see this post in Cheryl's blog for more ideas.

my very own green beans with smoky pistachio dust!

The recipe for Smashed Cherries, Amaretti and Ricotta also caught my eye with its straightforward simplicity. I had trouble thwacking them as instructed, but pitted and halved them as I usually do and breezily moved on to the other steps. It turned out well - the amaretti cookies, cacao nibs and sweetened ricotta gave tasty contrast to the fresh and juicy cherries. Also? This is totally the kind of dessert I could happily eat for breakfast without guilt.

my very own smashed cherries, amaretti and ricotta!

In conclusion? I think Ripe is a gorgeous, engaging cookbook that would suit someone with an interest in embarking upon a series of fruit and vegetable encounters. And if the recipes I've trialled so far are any indication, those encounters will be very, very delicious indeed.

simple, refreshing kaffir limeade

2013-02-28T21:17:00.000+11:00

simple, refreshing kaffir limeade.

It's the end of February, and those of us in Melbourne, Australia, are flitting between hot, sweltering stretches and cool, wet episodes. You might say it almost feels tropical.

So let's talk about kaffir limes today. You may be more familiar with kaffir lime leaves, which was featured in this blog last year (see my chilli kaffir tamarind tofu recipe here). The kaffir lime fruit, however, while edible, seems to fall by the wayside and go largely unnoticed, unloved.

Kaffir limes have an interestingly rough, squiggly, bumpy skin, the zest of which can be used. The ones I buy at the markets are usually the size of golf balls. They tend to have many seeds, and yield only a small quantity of rich, yellow juice. The taste is sharp, almost pungent and herbaceous, which may need some getting used to. Due to its distinctiveness, I prefer to use it lightly, and pair it with ingredients that take its edge off a little, while still showcasing its unique flavour.

I sneakily added it to my jalapeno sour cream dip/spread a while back, and it works well there because it is but a squeeze of juice, buried within the spicy, tangy dip, just enough to impart a hint of exotic.

to me, kaffir limes look like little round puzzle balls, or mini green brains.

In this easy recipe, however, kaffir limes are the star of the show, mellowed only with honey, water and ice. The honey softens the sharpness of the kaffir limes, and you can use as little or as much water and ice to dilute and cool as you see fit.

simple, refreshing kaffir limeade (serves 1)

1 kaffir lime (yields about 1 tablespoon kaffir lime juice)
1 tablespoon honey, or, to make it vegan, maple syrup (I used raw honey)
1 cup water
1 small handful ice cubes

Stir together kaffir lime juice, honey, and water until all is mixed/dissolved.
Add a few ice cubes, stir again, and serve.

P.S. Feel free to adjust the ingredient quantities to suit your taste buds!

try this easy kaffir lime fruit recipe and make yourself some kaffir limeade!

chinese new year, chinatown, melbourne, 2013. also, nostalgic childhood memories...

2013-02-21T20:50:00.000+11:00

Following the lion... Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown, Melbourne.

On Sunday the 10th of February, the first day of the Year of the Snake, I took the day off work, and skipped off to Chinatown with Simon to take in the Chinese New Year festivities.

It was lots of fun. Crowded, yes, but with an air of camaraderie. For some it is a familiar event that reminds them of home; for others, the celebrations hold an exotic appeal.

I left all the picture-taking to Simon while I enjoyed our walk through a veritable lagoon of people... the photos here I stole from him, though I did slightly crop and process them before uploading. Outsourcing to him was a great idea, even with the severe lack of food representation, as he captured gorgeous, atmospheric moments that I don't think I could've caught.

A boy enjoys the view atop his father's shoulders.

I have fond memories of spending Chinese New Year in Malaysia with a crazy number of relatives. There is always a lot of eating, drinking, and yes, gambling with card games. Usually in that order, and late into the night. New clothes and shoes are bought and saved months in advance, and trotted out for the occasion. For us young'uns, outfits with pockets are favoured for their ability to safekeep money-filled red packets.

For the two weeks, there will be an abundance of cakes, biscuits, nuts, seeds, and candies, and we would wander through them anytime we felt peckish. For beverages, there are soft drinks such as the delightful but questionably named Kickapoo, and the cardboard packets of chrysanthemum tea, sugarcane juice, soy milk, herbal tea, as well as the tinned longans, rambutans and lychees served with grass jelly and ice, and sometimes, jackfruit and pineapple, too. Let's also not forget the lovely and lightly alcoholic shandy, of which I would take the occasional naughty sip.

On top of it all, there is the comfort of being with all these people I know; the raucousness, the good spirits. Playing with my sister and our cousins, the sort that requires nothing fancy other than a little imagination, and a lot of enthusiasm, like "The Eagle catches the Chicks". Going off to the shops together, to buy little treats with our red packet money. Sometimes even joining in with the adults for a round of Big Two or Blackjack, or teaming up with the other kids to form our own posse.

Chinese New Year in Australia isn't quite the same, and I have doubts that it will ever measure up to my nostalgic childhood memories. We're all grown up, scattered across different countries, doing our own thing. And the food... oh how I miss the food.

But life can be good, anywhere you end up.

A jubilant couple dancing.

So I'll leave you here, with all these glorious, wistful reminiscences.

Happy Chinese New Year, Happy Lunar New Year, whoever you are, wherever you are...

More lion dance goodness at Little Bourke Street, Chinatown, Melbourne, during the Chinese New Year festival.

spinach melon cashew smoothie (raw & vegan)

2013-02-13T22:37:00.004+11:00

spinach melon cashew milk smoothie

February is proving to be a hip and happenin' month with celebrations galore. The two-week extravaganza that is Chinese New Year started on the 10th, for which I'll hopefully create a post to follow this one, and then there's Valentine's Day on the 14th, which likely isn't going to make an appearance on my blog this year, just because, well, I haven't gotten around to preparing anything. Ha!

But despite being a bit lackadaisical in some aspects these days, all's not lost. I'm happy to report that, inspired by my experimental mini-detox, some healthy habits have been kick-started and they are still going strong. There hasn't been a drastic change to my meals - I'm mostly an "everything in moderation" kind of girl, and I don't really "do" diets - but I've been increasing my efforts to include more fresh fruits and vegetables in my regular routine, and I do this by whizzing up a breakfast smoothie every morning, and sometimes, later in the day, too.

So today I'm sharing the recipe for this spinach melon cashew smoothie, which is an accidental favourite from my recent little raw weekend adventure. I have to confess that these days I fling myself into green smoothies with wild abandon, having found out that they aren't as scary as they may seem, and can actually taste pretty fabulous with the right combination and ratio of ingredients. I am also enjoying nut smoothies - I've been using soaked, softened cashews quite often to add a natural milkiness to vegan smoothies and make them more filling.

As a result, we have this green nut smoothie, and here's how it works, ever so nicely.

spinach melon cashew smoothie.

spinach melon cashew milk smoothie (serves 1)

1/4 cup cashews, soaked 3+ hours or overnight, then drained (I used raw cashews)
1 date, pitted (optional, I used a medjool date)
3/4 cup water, + more if required
1 cup rockmelon/cantaloupe flesh (150g / 1/3lb, or approx. 1/8 of a melon - honeydew is a good substitute)
1/2 cup firmly packed baby spinach, or a rough handful
4 ice cubes*

Whiz cashews, date and water together until smooth (or as smooth as you can get it with your blender. This will form the cashew milk base for the smoothie.
Add rockmelon/cantaloupe chunks, spinach and ice cubes, and whiz again until it all breaks down into a thick, slushy mix. Pour and serve immediately. Drink and feel delightful.

*Sometimes I use frozen melon chunks for this smoothie (awesome!), in which case I omit the ice cubes.

a mini-detox? going raw for one day (almost two)!

2013-02-03T21:36:00.001+11:00

Green smoothies, green smoothies galore!

I've never been the dieting type. But when Simon's housemate, Georgina, bought Anya Ladra's book, Raw Food Detox, recently, and suggested we embark on a weekend of clean eating with its guidance, I thought it was a fabulous idea.

Raw Food Detox - a cookbook by Anya Ladra of Raw Fairies.

Let's face it, while I like to think I eat healthier than the average person, I know very well that I can do with more fruits and vegetables in my diet. And I realise the idea of a detox is not for everyone, but I thought it would be an interesting experience, and kind of exciting. After all, even if you don't buy into the concept of a cleansing diet, you can still see this as a not-too-extreme experiement that puts more fresh, wholesome food in your body, which surely is a good thing.

Going with a more relaxed approach, we did not truly follow any of the detox programs in the book, but we did try a few recipes, plus some wildcards of our own. Here's a time line of my adventure!

---

Friday night:

We have a naughty "last supper" of Sarawak laksa (so good!) and follow up with a very refreshing Melon and Banana smoothie with Parsley, made faithfully according to Anya's recipe to atone for our sins.

---

Saturday morning:

I somehow wake up earlier than everyone else in the morning. I have a spicy herbal tea, which is technically not raw, but seems to be embraced as a "good cheat" by many raw foodists, except for the strictest ones.

After everyone awakens, we all enjoy some detox lemonade together (similar to the one from the book, but with mint added). Awhile later, we create our own spinach melon cashew milk smoothie, which is nutty, fruity, and all-round amazing - recipe to come!

Spinach melon cashew smoothie.

Saturday afternoon:

Feeling peckish, I whiz up a Carrot and Lemon juice with Omega-3 oils (I used evening primrose), also from the book, then follow up with a few snacks - a peach, a slice of watermelon, a couple of medjool dates, and a handful of raw hazelnuts. I feel good.

Carrot juice with citrus and good oils.

Saturday evening:

I start to feel sleepy and hazy. Georgina makes us a delicious ceviche - a bit of a cheeky dish outside the realms of Anya's vegan detox book, but hey, at least it's still raw! After eating this, I feel totally rejuvenated - perhaps my previous tiredness was merely a sign of hunger, or a yearning for protein. Brimming with energy, we all go for a walk with the dogs.

Ceviche.

Upon returning from the walk, we threw a few things together to whip up a cacao hazelnut shake. The thoughts are mixed on this one but it is still mostly satisfying.

Later in the night, I graze on celery, then wrap up with more herbal tea, a soothing one this time, to induce a sweet slumber.

Cacao hazelnut shake

---

Sunday morning:

I don't plan on being as disciplined today, as I have to work, but I still want to try my best to continue with this health kick, particularly as I feel really bright and alert today (placebo effect or not, it's unusual for a Sunday morning in the office, trust me), which I take as a sign I have been doing something right. I brew myself some rosemary tea for breakfast, then tuck into lovely ceviche leftovers from last night.

Rosemary tea.

Sunday afternoon:

I snack on medjool dates, then quickly pop out to South Melbourne Market, get myself a dozen fresh oysters and a lime, duck back in to the office, and enjoy a scintillating seafood spread at my desk. Oh yeah. Probably shouldn't be eating all these ocean delights if this is to be a proper detox, but hey...

Fresh oysters.

Sunday evening:

After work, I go to Simon's place again, and concoct a green smoothie with watermelon, banana, lime and spinach. I also finally give in to cooked food, baking a comfortingly cheesy frittata for dinner - I will be sharing the recipe for this eventually, too. We also recharge ourselves with a carrot-lemon-celery juice.

Lime-spinach-banana-watermelon smoothie.

---

Conclusions:

This self-structured mini raw detox has been a really excellent experience for me. I would be keen to do this again, and I want to find a way to incorporate more raw, fresh produce, especially vegetables, in a practical manner to my everyday life.

---

Aftermath:

Inspired by my detox weekend, I've started blending fruit and vegetable juices/smoothies in the morning for breakfast, and I hope this shall become a habit. They really seem to wake me up and invigorate me for the day ahead, so that should be enough incentive to spur me on.

---

Have you ever gone on a "detox" or a similar challenge to eat and drink only clean / raw / wholesome / minimally or non-processed foods? I'd love to hear about it!

smoked salmon sandwiches + jalapeno sour cream

2013-01-23T22:32:00.000+11:00

jalapeno sour cream, smoked salmon, and cucumber sandwiches for a picnic in summer.

There aren't many things better than a potluck picnic on a lovely summer's day, wouldn't you agree?

I've never been much of a social butterfly, however, so I thank my housemate, Kathy, for initiating this idea and making it happen.

January has been, for me, a month of working 11-hour days, so when I knew I could be free for this picnic on a Saturday forecast to be slightly cloudy, mostly sunny, and intermittently breezy, I jumped at the chance.

It was a glorious day, filled with good food, drinks, and company. An array of dishes were sampled. New friends were made. It was joyous. It was therapeutic. It was just what I needed.

smoked salmon sandwiches with cucumber and jalapeno sour cream.

This was what I brought to the party. A refreshingly tangy, spicy, savoury combination of light rye sour dough, chive-jalapeno sour cream spread, smoked salmon, and cucumber. Embrace the flavour.

smoked salmon sandwiches with cucumber and jalapeno sour cream

for the jalapeno sour cream:

250ml sour cream or light sour cream (8oz)
10g chives, chopped (2 tablespoons) - optional, or substitute with another seafood-friendly herb like dill
1 jalapeno pepper (5cm / 2 inches), chopped into rings, then quartered, seeds included if you like it spicy
15ml lime juice (1 tablespoon, or half a lime's worth)

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container. This may be made the night before and kept chilled in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Tip: This jalapeno sour cream can be used not only as a spread, but also a dip or a salad dressing!
P.S. If not complementing it with a salty ingredient (as I did with smoked salmon here), you may want to add a pinch of salt.

other ingredients for the sandwiches:

200g smoked salmon (7oz), roughly torn
1 continental cucumber or other cucumber (go with 2 if using small cucumbers), sliced
1 loaf bread (I used a light rye sourdough)

to assemble a sandwich:

Spread sour cream mixture on each slice of bread. Top with pieces of smoked salmon and cucumber, then another slice of bread. Slice into triangles, to easily share amongst a crowd, or for a smaller gathering, forget about daintiness and tuck into a full-sized sandwich.
Also: I don't remove the bread crusts, because I LOVE them.
And if you're using a fairly soft bread, don't assemble too early in advance, lest they become soggy.

Note: Ingredients may not match up exactly for a precise number of sandwiches - it depends on how generously you allocate the individual elements. However, each of the ingredients are so versatile in their own right, it doesn't matter if you have leftovers.

a humble tomato celery mince stew

2013-01-13T22:50:00.004+11:00

A simple mince stew, enriched with tomatoes and celery.

Happy new year, everyone!

I apologise for being somewhat missing in action lately. Work is still ridiculous at the moment so my posting schedule will likely be quite erratic for the next few weeks. I do hope you'll still remember to pop in every now and then, regardless!

When work is busy, I tend to eat quite takeaway more often, and while I do still cook, creativity in the kitchen will just have to wait, even on the weekends. I'm not thinking about unusual combinations or interesting juxtapositions, just something that I can throw together without much thought.

So we have this very humble mince, tomato and celery stew here, which I cooked up on New Year's Day. A couple of tomatoes and a handful of mince meat (pork, chicken, lamb, beef - it's up to you) are simmered together in some water, and as everything disintegrates and thickens, a few stalks of chopped celery is added, followed by a sprinkle of mixed dried herbs, salt and black pepper, and cooked just a little bit longer, until the celery mellows a little, while still retaining a crunch. And if you love your pepper, as I do, serve it with an extra grinding on top.

And that's it. Ready to serve.

A humble tomato-mince-celery stew.

Since making this stew, I've managed to create a couple of blog-worthy recipes amidst all the busyness, so let's stick around and see if I can get those posts up in the next week or so.

How has your January been so far?

pimm's lemon jasmine banana smoothie-cocktail (vegan, alcoholic, and stupendously delicious)

2012-12-30T22:16:00.000+11:00

I made this, one experimental morning, and fell in love instantly. Like a fruity, floral breath of fresh air, it scintillated my senses and seduced my soul.

A spiked smoothie to leave me invigorated and glowing with health and happiness... in the short time since the idea was born, I've made this many times over, and it shall, if all goes according to plan, accompany me as I say goodbye to 2012, and ring in 2013.

pimm's lemon jasmine banana cocktail-smoothie.

So at this moment, your mind is either running through all sorts of gleeful alcoholic smoothie possibilities or you're thinking, "This lady be crazy."

And before you start to worry... no, I'm not becoming an alcoholic. In fact, one of the reasons this breakfast cocktail came about was because I still had nearly a full bottle of the Pimm's No. 1 that I purchased for last year's New Year's celebrations. Yeah, I wasn't kidding in that post when I said I was bad at drinking.

Honestly, though, if you want to start your celebrations early, like, oh, I don't know - first thing in the morning - I can think of nothing better than this smoothie, a thrillingly clean, joyful cocktail of lemon, banana and jasmine green tea, with splashes of liqueur. (But please, don't drink and drive. Or do anything potentially precarious, for that matter.)

I used Pimm's No.1 here, which is nice and subtle, but I imagine this will also go well with a coconut liqueur, a lychee liqueur, or a ginger liqueur, for example, depending on the flavour profile that delights you. I opted for just 30ml (1 fl.oz) of alcohol, which is barely discernible, but you can probably bump that up a little, depending on the type of liqueur you use, how intensely boozy you prefer it to be, and what you plan to be doing for the rest of the day...

(By the way, if you're trying to behave and abstain, I've even made a mocktail version without any alcohol whatsoever, and it tasted just as glorious, let that be known.)

A little prep in advance is required for this cocktail-smoothie recipe, but it's all tremendously easy. The banana needs to be peeled, the flesh broken into chunks and frozen. The jasmine green tea, too, is brewed with warm (but not boiling hot) water, then left to steep and cool. This is all preferably done overnight; however, I've also made this with only a few hours' notice, with the encouragement of friends, and the help of a few ice cubes. It was so well-received that I couldn't make enough: it was love at first taste for them, too.

Now, without further ado, here's the recipe. Be warned: it is dangerously easy to drink.

a healthy cocktail with lemon juice, jasmine tea, frozen banana, and pimm's no.1.

lemon jasmine banana smoothie-cocktail
(recipe makes 1, multiply to spread the happiness)

120ml brewed jasmine green tea (4 fl.oz / 1/2 cup), chilled
1 small ripe banana of about 12cm/5", flesh chopped and frozen
30ml lemon juice (1 fl.oz / 2 tablespoons / half a lemon's worth)
30ml Pimm's No. 1, or some other suitably complementary liqueur (1 fl.oz / 2 tablespoons)
grated lemon zest and/or nutmeg, to garnish (optional)

Blend jasmine green tea, frozen banana chunks, lemon juice and Pimm's No.1 (or other liqueur of your choice) together until smooth. Pour into glasses, and garnish with a little lemon zest or nutmeg, if you like. Serve immediately while it's deliciously cold.

a quiet christmas

2012-12-25T21:37:00.000+11:00

So... it's Christmas by myself.

Simon is in Perth, visiting family. Thanks to work, I have to remain in Melbourne. Curses!

Not to worry, though, we already had a mini celebration before he flew off. A very small affair, just the two of us, with puff pastry mince pies and vanilla ice cream.

puff pastry mince pies with pine sugar, by Heston Blumenthal for Waitrose.

The mince pies are by Heston for Waitrose, and they got into my radar thanks to Sarah's tweets about them. I promptly found them stocked at my local Coles supermarket and bought a box to try.

On the packaging it says, "The magic of these mince pies is the rich mincemeat, which incorporates apple puree, lemon curd and rose water. Warm in the oven and then sprinkle with pine sugar for a real festive twist."

While it wasn't as luxuriously complex as I imagined (based on that description), they were still scrumptious and quite the treat - especially with that delightfully flaky puff pastry and the intriguing pine-infused sugar. We polished it all off in no time at all.

On Christmas Eve, I worked overtime and on my way home, I popped in to my local Chinese, Pacific Seafood BBQ House (210 Toorak Road, South Yarra) and treated myself to takeaway.

Hello, roast duck on rice!

takeaway - roast duck on rice, from Pacific Seafood BBQ House.

And that's about it for my Christmas celebrations. It's Christmas evening as I post this, and I haven't really done much today, but it has been peaceful and relaxing. And Simon will be back in a few days, hurrah!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everyone!

honey sage pistachio balls / energy bites

2012-12-18T22:21:00.002+11:00

Honey sage pistachio balls. Sweet, nutty energy bites.

Christmas is coming, and while I'm not a traditionalist, I do inevitably get caught up in the excitement that comes with the abundance of edible treats, this time of the year.

This is also the time of the year when I try to challenge myself with making treats that evoke Christmas (see here for last year's achievement). If you think you've been seeing a lot of green in my posts this month, well, it's not a coincidence.

Let's talk about energy balls today. I pop over to Hannah's blog at Wayfaring Chocolate quite frequently, and I am often envious of the variety of balls in her queenly repertoire. However, not having a food processor, I've never made my own.

Recently, I finally thought, to hell with that - I am doing this, even if I have to use a mortar and pestle!

So that's what I did.

Yes, you may call me Superwoman.

Making energy balls without a food processor, the old-fashioned way - with a mortar and pestle.

Thanks to my medieval methods, I made only a small portion, so feel free to multiply the recipe as you see fit. Feel free, too, to adapt the recipe to suit your needs. For example, you can make it a vegan recipe by using maple syrup, brown rice syrup, or agave nectar instead of honey. You can make it a raw recipe, too, by not baking the sage, using raw pistachios - no toasting, and using raw honey or agave. Oh, and if you have a food processor, you can just whiz everything together and cut down on the manual labour.

All that aside, let me just say I am now totally a homemade energy ball convert. Even with the extra work I had to do - which wasn't that difficult, really - I felt it was worth it. So wholesome. So delicious. And in the end, even with all the energy I exerted into making my energy balls, I think they lived up to their namesake and replenished me right back, with more to spare.

Plus, they're festive enough for a Christmas connection, all glistening green with speckles of red!

Honey sage pistachio energy bites.

honey sage pistachio energy balls with a mortar and pestle
(makes about 2 dozen marble-sized balls)
(I made this in 2 batches, as my mortar is modestly-sized.)

20 large fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup shelled pistachios, toasted
pinch of salt (not required if using pistachios that have already been lightly salted)
1 tablespoon honey (approximate, to be added in gradually and with care)

Preheat oven to 100ºC or 210ºF fan-forced (120ºC or 250ºF conventional).
Lay out sage leaves on a baking sheet, and bake in the oven for 5 minutes or until dry and crispy.
While the sage is roasting in the oven, toast the pistachios in a pan, stirring frequently, until they release a pleasant nutty aroma.
Crumble dried sage leaves with a mortar and pestle, picking out any tough stems that did not break down.
Add the toasted pistachios and continue pounding, crushing and grinding into fine, loose grains.
Sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Skip this step if the pistachios are already salted.
Add in honey, a little at a time, stirring and pressing the mixture with the pestle to check if the consistency might be ready for rolling. If in doubt, stop adding the honey and attempt the rolling earlier - you can always add more honey later, if you need to. Anyway, you can see that mine turned out quite shiny and moist - I could probably have used less honey, but it's all good!
So when you break off a small chunk and it rolls quite smoothly without giving you any trouble (e.g. cracking, falling apart), go forth and merrily roll those balls.

I shared these honey sage pistachio energy balls with Simon and we finished it within the day, but I would hazard a guess that they could keep quite nicely for a few days, covered, at room temperature, or a bit longer if you store them in the fridge.

Have fun, and enjoy!

much ado about matcha... weekend baking adventures

2012-12-12T22:06:00.000+11:00

Kitchen disasters. We've all had them.

But oh, the joy when you salvage the mess and rise from the ruins!

I don't usually post my creations when I don't have a recipe to go along with it, but I'm a bit more relaxed these days. Plus, I was actually quite proud of how I saved the day, so here we go. My only regret is that I didn't take a picture of how awful the batter looked at the beginning, which would make the results here look all the more impressive. Hey, we can't have everything.

It all started with an idea. Gluten-free buckwheat matcha cookies.

gluten-free buckwheat hazelnut matcha cookies.

When I have an idea, I like to draft out a recipe and then adjust it in the real world, adding and subtracting as I mix, knead and taste.

In this instance, I had underestimated the amount of buckwheat flour I needed... and not only that, I didn't have any more of it left in the pantry. The batter was neither liquid nor solid, and it was crazy sticky. Shaping or cutting it into cookies was out of the question. I made a makeshift piping bag by cutting a hole in a plastic sandwich bag, and forced in the batter. Bad idea. The consistency wasn't good for piping either. And the batter was so gluey, I now had trouble getting it out of my makeshift piping bag.

My typically trusty spatula looked dirty, tired and helpless. SO I DECIDED TO USE MY HANDS. Desperate times call for desperate measures, or rather, they drive you to insanity... I know that now. Feeling wretched and with gummy green goo all over my hands, I imagined I looked not unlike a forlorn swamp monster.

I still refused to throw the lot away. Organic buckwheat flour ain't cheap, y'all.

Thinking hard, I remembered the hazelnut meal I bought a few weeks ago. Oh, come here, my pretties, and rescue me from the mire of despair! I finally had a workable batter, which I rolled into balls, then pressed down with a fork on the baking sheet. Fifteen minutes later, we have these babies. Not bad, really.

Cross-section of gluten-free buckwheat hazelnut matcha cookies.

But wait, there's more!

At some point during these calamitous proceedings (it's all a blur to me now), and before the hazelnuts came sprinkling at me with heroic exultation, I had, in a moment of resignation, decided to go with the flow, as you do, stirring more cream into a small portion of the batter, and pouring it into a cupcake/muffin case. Amidst the confusion, I nearly forgot about this little cake-in-waiting, but spied it in the nick of time and it went into the oven with the cookies.

And this was the result.

gluten-free buckwheat matcha cake.

It looked alright. It tasted even better. I mean, it tasted really, really good. The cookies were not bad, but this mini cake, soft, moist, and rich, was seriously luscious.

I didn't share it with anyone. It was only tiny, after all...

cross-section of gluten-free buckwheat matcha cake.

chargrilled tomatoes, smashed avocado

2012-12-04T21:43:00.000+11:00

I have to confess, I haven't been feeling a lot of motivation lately to be productive. My free time is invariably consumed with net-surfing and the hours just insidiously creep by. Chores and errands are attended to with sloth-like urgency. I have occasional bursts of inspiration and energy, but they seem to be far and few between.

I hope this phase ends soon! Luckily, the making of lazy meals has always come easily to me, and today's brunch idea is no exception.

This is an accidentally vegan brunch that I cooked up one Friday, based on what I found at Simon's place. I guess in a way it's almost like a deconstructed guacamole, except I didn't have any red onion, nor coriander (aka cilantro to my North American readers). And I used lemon instead of lime, and dried chilli flakes instead of fresh, etcetera. You can keep these additional and alternative elements in mind if you make this. But I digress. Simple, yet full of flavour, this is an easy-to-prepare meal that highlights the natural goodness of the ingredients.

chargrilled tomatoes on smashed avocado.

char-grilled tomatoes, smashed avocado

1st step: making the smashed avocado

1 small avocado (approx. 150g or 1/3 lb), peeled and pitted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced
salt, chilli flakes and cracked black pepper, to taste

Mix avocado flesh, lemon juice and garlic together in a bowl. Mash with a fork to your preferred consistency. A smooth puree can be good but I like some little chunks of avocado remaining here and there for this dish - it gives a nice textural element to it.

2nd step: char-grilling the tomatoes

2 medium tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil, or more

Fire up the char-grill pan so that it's hot before you add the tomatoes.
Toss tomatoes in olive oil, then place on the grill. I like to grill it on both sides and get them quite soft, but if you only do it one side, make it the cut-side down. I did mine on cut-side for about 5 minutes, then the rounded side for about 3 minutes, then back to the cut-side again for 1 minute. If you're doing a bit of flipping around, as I did, make sure the tomatoes, or the area of the grill they're placed on, remain well-oiled on subsequent flippings, so that the tomatoes don't stick on the grill.

3rd and final step: assembling

Swipe the smashed avocado onto a plate, and top with the chargrilled tomatoes. And there you go - hot, sizzling, juicy tomatoes on a bed of cool, creamy, smashed-up avocado. Tuck in.

hot, sizzling, juicy tomatoes on a bed of cool, creamy, smashed-up avocado.

a simple cauliflower soup

2012-11-26T22:13:00.000+11:00

Hello, hello... I am now the happy owner of stick blender (also known as a hand blender or immersion blender). In truth, I operate a very minimalist kitchen and don't see the need for all sorts of fancy tools, but I have been yearning for a stick blender for a long time and now that I've got one, I'm lovin' it.

Smoothies... juices... dips... sauces... creamy soups! What's not to love? (Oh, and if it's fabulous for anything else, please do let me know in the comments... greatly appreciated.)

Let's just focus on the creamy soup aspect today. I'll be honest, my cauliflower soup recipe is going to be a rather vaguely instructive one, as I didn't really bother with any precise measurements. The good thing, though, is that it really doesn't need to be that detailed. It's easy. It's homely. It probably won't knock your socks off, but it's good and comforting and you may ask for a second helping. Or, at least, Simon did... after insisting he wasn't very hungry when I gave him his first bowl. As he went for more, I gave him a look, to which he reiterated and responded - "I'm not hungry, but it is so delicious..." Awwwww.

a simple cauliflower soup.

a simple cauliflower soup
(serves 4 as a starter or side... but we served it for 2 as a main on a not-so-hungry evening)

1 small to medium head of cauliflower, or 1/2 a head of a large one
butter, for frying - about 1 tablespoon
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
water, or unsalted/low-salt vegetable stock - a few cups' worth, depending on size of cauliflower
salt, to taste
cream, to taste - I used about 2 tablespoons
balsamic vinegar and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Cut or pluck the cauliflower florets (I often trim the stem, chop it up and use it too) and set aside.
Over medium heat, warm up some butter in an appropriately sized saucepan, along with the garlic and onion. When the garlic and onion has softened, add the cauliflower, then pour in just enough water or vegetable stock to cover the florets. Turn up the heat to bring to boil, then turn to medium again, partially cover the saucepan and let it cook until the cauliflower is tender - times may vary, but for me it was about 15 minutes.
Puree the soup. (With a stick blender if you have one - yay! Otherwise, transfer to a blender and blend it in portions, then return to the saucepan.)
You can lower the heat at this point so the soup just gently simmers. Add water if you'd like to thin it out, or cook it longer if you'd like it thicker.
Stir in some cream and continue stirring until it becomes one with the soup. Add salt to taste. (Having cooked the cauliflower in water instead of stock, I used a spiced and herbed vegetable salt here to give extra flavour, but this is optional.) Turn off the heat.
Ladle the soup into bowls, then splash with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with freshly cracked black pepper - be as generous as you like. Then slurp it all up with a spoon.

lashings of balsamic vinegar and freshly cracked black pepper to add flavour and interest.

la dulcita, fitzroy: empanadas and beyond

2012-11-19T21:43:00.000+11:00

An assortment of empanadas at La Dulcita, with chimichurri (Argentinian garlic-parsley sauce).

Edit: Sadly, La Dulcita is no longer in business - it appears the owners have decided to extend their other business, Brother Burger, to cover that shop area as well. If anyone knows where else I can get awesome empanadas, please leave a comment!

I first got a whiff of Argentinian bakery-cafe La Dulcita (413 Brunswick St, Fitzroy) when, one day, I noticed an ad seeking staff for a new South American eatery. While the job was not for me, this was an exciting find! Lo and behold, it emerged several weeks later, just as Simon and I were leaving for our Sydney-Canberra trip, so I promised myself that we'd visit it, first thing, upon our return to Melbourne.

And so we did.

Simon and I are both baked egg fiends, so naturally we went for the Huevos Portenos - baked eggs with potato, chorizo, cheese, salsa and chimichurri... a combination of flavours that radiate warmth, comfort, and satisfaction.

Huevos portenos - baked eggs.

I was familiar enough with the concept of South American food to know of empanadas, but till then, I had never actually tried one.

So it stands to reason that we had to try ALL the empanadas. In any case, there were only three different flavours (beef & olive; chicken & corn; zucchini, capsicum and egg), and they were quite small.

The texture of the empanada was unique to me - there's an almost bread-like softness to it, with just a gentle hint of flaky crunch. All three were delicious, but it was the beef and olive empanada that really won my heart, falling apart in the mouth like a slow, savoury, sensational stew.

Cross section of beef and olive empanada.

Cross-section of chicken and corn empanada.

Cross section of zucchini, capsicum and egg empanada.

When we paid at the counter I decided to get a few of the sweet pastries for takeaway. They were pleasant enough, though having been kept at room temperature all day in the bakery, I suspect they could be exponentially better if I had warmed them up a little in the oven before eating.

Sweet pastries from la dulcita.

Verdict? I'll be back to further explore the La Dulcita menu. They have some tasty looking quiches (featuring goat cheese, no less) that I'd like to try next time; and, of course, I look forward to immersing myself in more empanada goodness.

strawberry cordial / strawberry soda, with a hint of galangal

2012-11-12T22:05:00.000+11:00

homemade strawberry cordial + sparkling mineral water = homemade strawberry soda.

I don't use galangal very often. I should. They're fabulous in so many Asian recipes, with their mystical aromatics - a little woody, like pine or cedar; a little spicy, like ginger yet not quite.

When I bought a large chunk recently, I was too lazy to use it in a traditional Asian dish, which tends to be a little more work. Instead, gazing upon the punnets of springtime strawberries sitting pretty in the fridge, I decided to make a strawberry galangal cordial. With, of course, a strawberry galangal soda to follow.

So gloriously red. So seductive.

Of course, a pure strawberry cordial, and the ensuing pure strawberry soda, is amazing with its pristine fruity flavour. You may omit the galangal to do just that. But on those occasions when you're feeling a little bit experimental, and you don't think you'd mind an exotic frisson of mystery in your refreshing strawberry drink, well... why not try it with a hint of galangal?

strawberry and galangal.

strawberry cordial / strawberry soda, with a hint of galangal (if you like)

250g strawberries (1/2 lb), hulled and halved
5cm galangal (2 inches), peeled and thinly sliced (use a sharp knife as they can be tough and fibrous)
1 cup water
1/2 cup raw sugar

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil, then simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, mashing up the strawberries with a fork towards the end as they lose colour and soften. Let the mixture cool then strain through a fine sieve, pressing down on the strawberry pulp with a fork or spoon to extract as much liquid and flavour as you can.
This cordial will keep in an air-tight jar or bottle in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.*
To make strawberry soda, simply pour in some cordial into a glass, then top up with soda water or sparkling mineral water, plus ice.
Bonus round: You may also add this cordial to freshly boiled hot water to make a soothing strawberry galangal tea.

*I sterilise my jars by washing them thoroughly and then letting them sit in boiling water for a couple of minutes.

strawberry galangal soda.