Ingredient 30 - Pickled Ginger

Pickled ginger or Gari as the Japanese would say is a sweet, thinly sliced young ginger, pickled in a sugar and vinegar solution.

Homemade pickled ginger resembles a pale yellow to slightly pink colour, whereas the commercially bought ginger at the supermarket is often psychedelic pink from artificial coloring.

It is most commonly served with sushi to help enhance the flavours, but can be eaten between different servings of sushi to help cleanse and neutralize the palate before the next flavour injection.

So for the fellow sushi lovers out there – enjoy this delicious salad!

Salmon and Pickled Ginger Sushi Salad

1 salmon fillet – skin off

1 medium sweet potato

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup sushi rice

2 cups cold water

3 spring onions

½ continental cucumber

1 large handful snowpeas

½ avocado

½ red onion

1 handful of baby spinach leaves

¼ cup pickled ginger, drained

Dressing: (optional – can just use soy sauce)

½ lime

4 tbsp rice seasoning

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

• Preheat oven to 180.
• Remove skin of sweet potato and slice across width into 1cm thick pieces, then half again forming semicircles.
• Arrange sweet potato on baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and roast in oven for 20min or until tender.
• Rinse the sushi rice under tap water at least 3 times until water is clear to remove extra starch. Place in a rice cooker with 2 cups of tap water and cook according to machine. Once finished remove immediately, spread across a tray and sprinkle with 3tbsp rice seasoning. Stir well and place in freezer for 20min or until cool.
• Heat a frypan over medium heat. Sear the salmon steak on each side for a minute until crisp. Place in the oven for a further 10min until cooked. Allow to stand for 10min to cool, before flaking the fillet into small pieces with a fork.
• Slice the shallots thinly in white and thicker in dark green sections. Chop the cucumber thinly into circles. Top and tail the snow peas and half lengthways.  Roughly chop the spinach leaves. Slice the avocado into long thick pieces and drizzle with a little lime juice to prevent browning prior to serving.
• Drain the pickled ginger and roughly chop.
• To make the dressing, which is optional, combine remaining rice seasoning, fish sauce, sweet chilli sauce and lime juice in a jar and shake well.
• To arrange the salad lay the rice on a large serving platter. Mix in the salad ingredients, lay the salmon on top, sprinkle with pickled ginger and drizzle over some dressing.
• Serve with extra soy sauce, lime and chopped chillis.

Ingredient 29 - Puffed Brown Rice

Puffed brown rice is a popular alternative to the usual puffed grains used in cereals for those gluten intolerant.

The process of puffing grains dates back to the 1930s and is created by exposing the product to high pressures with steam that ‘pops and bloats’ the kernel into a much larger size. The three most common puffed grains used are rice, wheat and corn, seen in cereals such as Coco Pops and Rice Krispies.

One of my little obsessive traits in life I will admit is my breakfast routine of muesli, fruit and yoghurt. Hence the inspiration for this recipe.

This cereal I will admit is perfect; it is not overly sweet, contains the perfect ratio of grains to seeds to dried fruit, feels light, is absolutely delicious, and will guarantee you a fabulous start to the day!

The Ultimate Toasted Gluten-Free Muesli

Makes 1 large container

2 cups puffed brown rice

2 cups puffed quinoa

2 cups gluten free cornflakes

¾ cup whole almonds

½ cup pepita seeds

½ cup sunflower seeds

½ cup pure apple juice

¾ cup honey

½ cup finely chopped dried apple

½ cup dried cranberries

• Preheat oven to 150°.
• Place the puffed grains, cornflakes, almonds and seeds in a deep baking dish.
• Heat the honey and apple juice in a microwave for 2min until bubbling. Mix well together.
• Pour the liquid over the muesli ingredients and mix well. Place in the oven and toast for 30minutes, removing the tray every 5min to mix together. It is important to do this to ensure no nuts or flakes are burnt!
• Remove from the oven, stir through the chopped apple and cranberries, and let the muesli cool completely.
• Serve with fresh fruit, greek yoghurt and milk.
• Between breakfast sittings store in a dry well sealed container. If the cereal does get a little soggy, a quick re-toasting in the oven will work like a treat.

Ingredient 28 - Purple Carrots

Purple carrots are the original carrot, stemming back to 5000 years ago in area today known as Afghanistan.  The orange carrot then followed centuries later, bred by the Dutch in the 1500s.

Carrots are an excellent vegetable, containing high amounts of beta-carotene, Vitamin A, potassium, vitamin C and B6. They are cholesterol free, a great fibre source, and also contain phytochemicals with proven antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Surprisingly, purple carrots are far more nutritious than their orange counterparts. They contain up to 28 more anthocyanins, which given it their characteristic purple colour, that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and anti-carcinogenic properties. 

Purple carrots are apparently making a comeback, so keep an eye out for these little exotic gems in the supermarket. 

The perfect salad for a Fathers Day/friends picnic!

The Asian Picnic Coleslaw

Serves 8

1 cup raw cashew nuts

2 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp soy sauce

4 purple carrots

1 cucumber

¼ wombok cabbage

3 spring onions

1 long red chilli

juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1 tbsp fish sauce

2 tbsp water

• Preheat oven to 180.
• Roughly chop the raw cashew nuts. Lay the nuts and sesame seeds on baking paper.  Roast in oven for 10min in total, stirring the nut concoction half way through.
• Thinly slice the wombok cabbage, spring onions and red chilli.
• Slice the cucumber in half lengthways and remove the soft core, then grate roughly along with the washed purple carrots.
• Place all salad ingredients in large serving bowl.
• To make the dressing combine the lime juice, sauces and water in a small jar. Shake well.
• Prior to serving sprinkle salad with nuts, pour over dressing and toss well.

Ingredient 27 - Black Sesame Seeds

Sesame seeds are considered by some to be the oldest condiment on Earth, dating back as early as 1600BC. 

They are tiny flat oval seeds with a subtle nutty flavour and delicate crunch. The seeds come in a variety of flavours, with lighter coloured more common variety used more in West and Middle East and black in Far East.

Black sesame seeds are the only variety not hulled, in comparison to white ones, thus providing far more calcium and essential fatty oils. They also are much stronger in flavour.

This is a deliciously light salad, and perfect for the gluten free housemates with the quinoa (‘keen-wah’) addition.

Enjoy!

Roasted Pumpkin, Beetroot and Sesame Seed Quinoa Salad

Serves 6

800g kent pumpkin

2 bunches baby beetroot

olive oil – approx. 5tbsp

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 tbsp black sesame seeds

3 green shallots

2 cups quinoa

4 cups boiling water

5 tbsp chopped fresh mint

1 cup natural yoghurt

1 tsp smoked paprika

• Preheat oven to 180°.
• Trim stalk and roots off beetroot and rinse well. Chop pumpkin and beetroot into small cubes (approx. 1x1cm).
• Drizzle generously with olive oil and mix in the crushed garlic. Roast vegetables in oven for 15min then mix in the sesame seeds and 1tbsp chopped mint, and return to the oven for further 15min until tender.
• Slice white part of shallots thinly. Heat 1tbsp olive oil in deep saucepan and sauté shallots until soft and golden in colour.
• Add the quinoa and stir for about 2min until translucent. Pour in the boiling water and continue to simmer, for approx. 20min until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Avoid overcooking to a mushy consistency - it should still have bite. Remove from heat and season well.
• Combine yoghurt and smoked paprika in small bowl.
• Arrange quinoa on serving platter. Top with roasted vegetables and chopped mint, and finally drizzle with yoghurt mixture.

Ingredient 26 - Peanut Oil

Peanut oil is oil derived from peanuts, creating a pleasant light nutty flavour.

Due to its high boiling point, peanut oil is perfect for deep-frying as it can reach higher temperatures, resulting in lower oil absorption in the foods and creates a nice crisp fried layer.

Despite the fact that it belongs to the naughty high calorie food group, peanut oil has a great lipid profile containing high amounts of unsaturated fats (ie. omega 6 linoleic acid) and low amounts of saturated fats. In addition it is cholesterol free and contains valuable amounts of vitamin E.

I have never deep-fried anything before; I rephrase, I have never considered even cooking a recipe that required deep-frying. However I will admit this creation pleasantly surprised me!

The perfect start to a dinner party.

Chilli and Lime Squid

6 squid tubes

1 cup plain flour

juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp dried chilli flakes

1 tbsp sea salt flakes

peanut oil – approx. 600mL bottle

cracked salt and pepper

lime wedges to serve

• Slice the squid tubes open, lay them flat on chopping board and score them both horizontally and vertically. Cut the squid then into large diamond shaped pieces.
• Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl.
• Pour the peanut oil into a large deep fry pan, ensuring that the liquid is about 7cm in thickness. Heat the oil over high-medium heat until you can see little bubbles at the bottom.
• Dust the calamari lightly in flour and place gently in the pan of hot oil. The pieces should immediately curl up at the sides. Ensure each area of the calamari is coated and cooks in oil, turning them over if required.
• Remove from oil when the squid pieces are golden brown in colour. Drain on absorbent paper. Continue to cook remainder of the squid.
• Place the squid in large bowl. Drizzle with lime juice, dried chilli flakes and cracked salt and pepper, and toss well.
• Serve immediately with extra lime wedges.

Ingredient 25 - Pearl Barley

Pearl barley is the ‘polished’ derivative of the cereal grain barley.

It is the end product after several processes involving the removal of the two outer hulls and bran layer. This means it is less nutritious than its ‘pot’ and ‘scotch’ barley counterparts which are less refined; however in comparison to couscous and white rice, pearl barley has a much a higher fibre content as well as providing many essential minerals and vitamins.

The perfect healthy accompaniment to an Indian curry!

Tandoori vegetable and Pistachio Pearl Barley Salad

Serves 6 as side dish

½ cauliflower

400g kent pumpkin

2 long red chilli

1 carrot

1 can chickpeas, drained

1 cup low fat greek yoghurt

½ tbsp sweet paprika

½ tbsp ground coriander

½ tbsp cumin seeds

½ tbsp mustard seeds

1 tsp garam masala

½ cup tinned diced tomatoes

1 cup pearl barley

1 ¼ cup water

cinnamon stick

1 chicken stock cube

1 tbsp lemon rind

¾ cup unshelled pistachio (150g)

flat leaf parsley

lemon wedges

• Preheat oven to 180°.
• Remove stalks from cauliflower and chop into small florets. Chop the carrot and pumpkin into small chunks. Finely slice the chilli.
• In a large bowl mix the vegetables, yoghurt, tinned tomatoes, and spices (paprika, coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, garam masala). Make sure vegetables are well coated in yoghurt mixture.
• Arrange vegetables on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 30min, then remove and gently stir through drained chickpeas. Add a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Roast for a further 15min or until cooked; you want the vegetables still firm and holding their shape.
• Bring water, stock and cinnamon stick to boil in medium saucepan. Add the pearl barley and lemon rind and continue to simmer until all water is absorbed. Stir a few times during this to ensure no sticking to bottom of pan. The pearl barley should still have a slight bite to it. Drain well.
• Dry fry the pistachio kernels for a few minutes in a small saucepan until roasted.
• To serve place the pearl barley on large serving platter, spooning over the tandoori vegetables, and scatter with pistachios and flat leaf parsley.
• Serve with lemon wedges and riata.

Ingredient 24 - Rosewater

Rosewater is simply the leftover liquid when rose petals and water are distilled together.

It dates back to early Romans, traditionally made using damask roses for the purposes of bathing and cosmetics. It also today still holds great sacred importance in the cleansing rituals of Muslim and Hindu religious ceremonies.

Rosewater is also used widely for culinary purposes, especially sweets such as mango lassi, marzipan, Turkish delight, and even marshmallows.

It provides a unique sweet aroma and taste, and is a great addition to baking as these friands demonstrate!

Perfect for Fat Friday at work!

Rosewater and Strawberry Friands

Makes 12

1 ¼ cup icing sugar

1 cup almond meal

⅔ cup plain flour

5 egg whites

2 tbsp rosewater

125g butter

strawberries

• Preheat fan-forced oven to 180. Grease a muffin pan lightly with butter.
• Melt butter in a bowl in microwave.
• Hull and slice the strawberries lengthways.
• Beat the egg whites in small bowl with hand held beaters until soft peaks form.
• Sift the flour and icing sugar into a large bowl. Stir through the almond meal. Fold in gently the egg whites, melted butter and rosewater. Be careful not to over-stir the mixture or the friands will be tough.
• Spoon into the muffin pans and place a strawberry piece on top, pressing gently into the friend.
• Cook in oven for 15min or until golden and bounce back when pressed lightly.

The view from my kitchen early Friday morning - why wouldn't I want to bake!