Quick Roast Chicken

There’s nothing better than a well roasted home cooked chicken. A real family meal, it conjures up memories of everyone sitting around the dining room table – my brother and I fighting over the wish bone, Dad sneakily eating “carver’s perks”, and Mum happily digging into the roast vegetables. Before stumbling across this recipe, however, … Continue reading →

Smooth Lentil Soup

This yellow lentil soup recipe is just what the doctor ordered this flu season. Packed with antioxidants like fresh turmeric and apple cider vinegar soaked beetroot,  your winter immunity will get that boost it needs. Above all though this soup is delicious. Silky smooth lentils cooked gently with sweet onions and fresh turmeric, it has … Continue reading →

Soft Boiled Eggs: The How To

“He couldn’t even boil an egg…” It’s the oft-quoted yardstick of some-one who can’t cook, but getting your boiled eggs cooked just the way you like them can be tricky. For example, eggs at room temperature or straight from the fridge require slightly different cooking times. As does the size of your eggs, and if … Continue reading →

RECIPE: Slow Cooked Korean Beef Short Ribs in Gochu-jang

One of my first forays into the world of Korean food was at the unassuming CJ Lunchbar on Melbourne’s Little Lonsdale Street. Always busy, this tiny restaurant has you jostling among local international students for a seat on a wobbly wooden table which you have to approach sideways and try delicately not to knock off … Continue reading →

RECIPE: Lamb Rendang Curry

Rendang is a rich, fragrant coconut curry usually cooked with beef. Often associated with Malaysian cooking, the word ‘rendang’ actually comes from the Indonesian ‘merandang’ meaning to cook coconut milk slowly until it’s dry. In fact it didn’t reach Malaysia until the 16C when the Minangkabau people (from Western Sumatra) began wandering and sailing over the … Continue reading →

RECIPE: Persian Lamb Stew

Inside the Tajrish bazaar in northern Tehran, narrow alleys lined with windowfuls of saffron bustle with cool young locals sipping tea and reading Hafez, and groups of young women laden with shopping bags. Through the gilded arcade, past nutsellers and fabric merchants the single through-passage opens out into a wide square fruit and veg market. Mountains … Continue reading →

Flatbread, Feta and Sabzi – A Persian Breakfast

There isn’t any method to this meal of flatbread and sabzi (herbs). It’s a case of opening packets, slicing herbs and salad ingredients, and serving on a plate. This quintessential Persian breakfast is what we ate almost everyday on a recent trip to Iran. Subtle variations exist depending where you are in the country, but … Continue reading →

Panzanella Salad – An easy, delicious way to use up the end of a loaf of bread

A traditional Mediterranean recipe, panzanella is the only way to eat leftover bread that’s starting to go stale. Originally without tomatoes (they didn’t arrive in Italy until the 16th C), this rustic Italian salad would have been made using bread soaked in vinegar and water and served with onions and garden vegetables such as cucumber. … Continue reading →

FRUGAL FOOD FIGHTS FOOD WASTE: Sardines on toast

It’s easy to overlook simple meals like sardines on toast in favour of something more adventurous or exotic, but when you’re on a tight food budget or you’re time poor, this no fuss, no frills meal fits the bill. I’m all in favour of a rustic peasant’s supper every now and then. It reminds me … Continue reading →

EASY, CHEESY BAKED POTATO W/ WILTED GREENS AND BACON

You don’t need me to guide you through making a baked potato – my only advice is to give it a quick 6-10 minute blast in the microwave (depending on size) to cook the potato before placing it in a hot, hot oven to crisp up the skin. Ingredients: Potato Wilted spinach Strong cheddar Bacon … Continue reading →