Spiced prawns and peppers
There’s a school of though that argues you should plan before you shop for food, that it’s best to have decided what you intend to cook and then only buy … Continue reading
Spicy Carrot Pickle
I am a pickle obsessive. I admit it. Give me a good vegetable pickle and I can turn an ordinary meal into a feast. In the “English ploughman’s lunch from … Continue reading
Nut ‘N’ Spice Macaroons
Surplus egg whites can be a curse, but they can be a blessing too. Most of the time I have little plastic tubs of egg whites in my freezer. Mainly … Continue reading
Chinese Five Spice Mix
I have food nazi tendencies. I refuse to buy commercial products full of additives when I can make the same thing at home with natural ingredients for a small portion … Continue reading
dukkah
Dukkah, a loose savoury blend of toasted and roughly crushed nuts and seeds blended with spices, has Egyptian origins. Traditionally it’s served with bread which is first dipped into olive … Continue reading
Pickled ‘n’ Spiced Oranges
We are not gravy lovers. While I understand the attraction of this well loved umami laden sauce, I find it generally masks the flavour of the food it accompanies. Mustard, … Continue reading
“Cajun” Spice Mix
I hope it’s just the winter blues that are clouding my brain, creating a fog that’s slowing down my writing process. If I was writing with a pen, on paper, … Continue reading
April Cookbook Guru “The New Book of Middle Eastern Food”
Cooking with Claudia My stained and battered copy of Claudia Roden’s “The New Book of Middle Eastern Food” has been in constant use in my kitchen for at least 20 … Continue reading
Cumin Scented Carrot Salad
I have a food spattered, dog-eared edition of Claudia Roden’s inspiring tome, “The New Book of Middle Eastern Food”. It’s been my go-to guide for Lebanese, Turkish, Persian, Moroccan and … Continue reading
Old Fashioned Ginger Nuts
Commercial sweet treats were almost unheard of in my childhood home, but my Grandma occasionally bought a packet of Ginger Nuts. Fascinated, I watched as the adults dunked their hard … Continue reading
Moroccan Rice Salad
Balanced and nutritious, this salad can stand alone as a tasty light meal. It’s the perfect way to use upleftover rice. I find it impossible to cook the correct amount … Continue reading
Grandma’s Gingerbread Cake
My maternal Grandma Lois Bower lived well into her 99th year. Her father died aged twenty two, her mother at twenty four, her brother, twelve. Thankfully she managed to defy … Continue reading
Cumin Spiced Cream Style Vegetable Soup
The weather has taken a turn for the worst in Melbourne today. We can’t complain though, we have had a warm, dry and still autumn so far, the crisp nights … Continue reading
LIP LICKING, FIVE SPICE CHICKEN
This fantastic marinade elevates chicken to the sublime. Chinese Five Spice mix, which is a blend of star anise, fennel seeds, cassia bark, Szechwan peppercorns and cloves marries perfectly with … Continue reading
