Donuts1

Lychee, Matcha, Strawberry and Classic Mini Donuts

There are moments in life when you just crave that bit of sugar for a wicked indulgent treat…

Times like these, I lust for a bite of the humble little donut, hot and sugared or iced with some decandently sweet flavours….

Donuts seem to have gained an elevated status among the many creative bakers out there and the many iced and decorated varieties are very inspiring to both the eyes and palate.

The history of the donut seems an interesting one with its origins going back to the 1800s. The first donut or ‘doughnut’ could have originated from the Dutch who were making fried versions of cake dough calling them ‘oil cakes’. These oil cakes were fried and had various fillings such as fruits or nuts in the centre. Depending on how large these actual ‘oil cakes’ were, the centres could often be uncooked, with the outside of the cake cooking first before the centre. Later on, stories evolved where a Dutch Ship Captain named Hansen Gregory cut a hole in the centre of these oil cakes to increase the surface area for cooking, thus attributing himself as the creator of the modern day Donut.

Many other stories abound with the invention of this fried treat and other countries may share in a different history or adaptation of its own versions.

In this blog post, I take the classic Donut and pair it with a couple of fruity flavours such as Lychee and Strawberry. Here, I use the puree of both the Lychee and Strawberry fruit to deliver a ‘real fruit’ sweetish presence. If fruit is not your preference, then Green Tea or Matcha flavoured Donuts can also be a popular choice. For a more classic taste, then a Donut with a simple dusting of sugar can be all you need with that hot soul warming cup of coffee.

Try my Lychee, Matcha, Strawberry and Classic Mini Donuts recipe.




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Pork-and-Spinach-Dumplings

Pork and Spinach Dumplings

In recent years, there has been a huge proliferation of Dumpling Restaurants around Melbourne.

For a very reasonable price, you could be tempted to an endless number and variety of these bite sized wrapped treats….some meat filled, some vegetarian, some crispy, some soft whilst others juicy and plump. Whichever dumplings takes your fancy… there seems to be a place that can satisfy your craving of any types and tastes.

My most lasting and longing memories of dumplings resides with a little makeshift corner dumpling stall at a street store in Malaysia. The store was part of a larger setup of a Hawker business which I accidentally stumbled upon by its wafting allure…. The owner of the store was a middle aged lady who had in her armoury the barest of supplies…..A box of flour, a container for the meat filling and a small wooden roller. Upon taking an order, she would meticulously roll out these thin pastry wrappers with great dexterity and ease. As she continued to parcel each one up with the filling, pleating the wrapper to give each dumpling its shape and form, she gave before me the picture of all things true to street food : simplistic and honest fare.

She probably had been making and wrapping dumplings all her life.. you could tell it in the creases of her eyes and in the nimbleness of her fingers. I marvelled at the ease of her expertise and longed to emulate the mastery of her dumpling making skills.

The dumplings that she made were ‘Gyoza like’ in appearance, longer in form with a thin crispsy skin. They were delicate to bite and coated in a flourly lattice that made the dumpling even more texturally interesting. Inside, the filling was a smooth mix of meat and ginger, just enough to render a really nice balance. Accompanying the dumplings was a sauce mixed of lime, chilli and garlic that gave a magnificent meld of contrasting flavours.

Dumplings have come to encompass a whole gamut of wonderfully wrapped morsels.. but for me, the pan fried style of dumplings are one of my favourites. Thanks to a great number of well supplied Asian Groceries, we can all have a hand at creating great dumplings at home.

In this Pork and Spinach Dumpling recipe, I have opted to use Wonton Wrappers for the skin rather than the Specialist  ‘Gow Gee’ wrappers (especially for dumplings) that you can find in the Asian Supermarkets. I find that the Wonton Wrappers are slightly thinner in texture, therefore are closer to the pastry type that I have been longingly describing above.

The filling is a mix of grounded pork mince, preferably with a bit of fatty meat intact as this will lend to a more smoother and more juicier filling when cooked. Healthier versions can opt for a leaner type of mince but note that the filling may be less smooth. Another tip is to give the mince an extra bash with a pestle or knife just to ensure that the meat has an almost ‘paste like’ consistency for that smooth inner texture.

There are many wonderful ways to eat and enjoy dumplings. For this recipe, I have decided that a dash of vinegar with some more ginger is an equally satisfying accompaniment to savour these pan fried joys.

Try my Pork and Spinach Dumplings recipe.




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Asian Pork Patty Wraps

Asian Pork Patty Wraps

After an almost month long hiatus from the kitchen, I realise how much I have missed cooking…..

My month long vacation in sunny tropical Malaysia took me on a food fest of many local dishes and fusion flavours; an indulgent guilt free eating journey of delectable proportions! From cafes, to restaurants to Hawker stalls, I made my way around many establishments and got to delight in most of what they had to offer.

My favourite has always been the fare that is offered at Hawker Stalls – a true fulfillment of my love for street food. I have always been inspired by Street food’s raw intensity, its ‘no thrills’ nature and the seemingly infinite variety of choice. It is truly an amazing experience to witness food that can be whipped up by the roadside, equivalent in taste to that of any three star restaurant.

So after returning to Melbourne fully inspired by my travels, my post today is all about ‘ready to go’ food. It is about mixing and matching, with a bit of influence from here and there to create a simple healthy food choice.

In this recipe, Asian Pork Patties are pulled together with some fresh herbs and salad ingredients in a healthy wrap that is great for lunch. If wraps are not your style, then simply omit and eat it as a Pork Patty Salad tossed in with all the featured ingredients. A great light Summer healthy meal either way!

Try my Asian Pork Patty Wraps recipe.




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Prawn-Cucumber-Apple-Salad

Prawn Cucumber Apple Salad

After an indulgent few days of festive eating, its nice to get back to a few light basics.

It’s Summer here in Melbourne and the weather has definitely been true to the season. With warm to hot days easing in and out of this holiday period, Iight salad choices are a must go-to option to ride out the heat.

This Prawn Cucumber Apple Salad combines some fresh ingredients with a zingy dressing that feels ultimately palate cleansing and refreshingly cooling. It is simple to prepare and utilises fresh everyday ingredients. If you are a lover of Prawns, you will enjoy the flavours that come with mixing these lightly seared morsels with mouthfuls of fresh cucumber and apple that is then wonderfully offset with a light zesty kick.

I love a dish that is simple and full of contrasting flavours and hope you will too!

Try my Prawn Cucumber Apple Salad recipe.

Happy 2016 and hope to share with you more recipes in the year to come.




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Popiah

Popiah Prawn and Vegetable Spring Rolls

I had my first taste of Popiah at a Hawker stall in Malaysia and fell instantly in love with these tightly wrapped parcels filled with interesting fillings . Often eaten as a snack and popularly known as street food in some Asian countries, these can best be described as a hybrid between a Rice Paper Roll and a Spring roll and yet something a bit more.

Popiah has its origins in China however there are many Asian adaptations and some with their own regional twists. The word Popiah itself is derived from the meaning ‘thin wafer’. This would describe the crepe like wrapping that hugs in all the fillings; a wrapping that is delicate and soft but robust enough to keep together its contents. Popiah is known as a ‘fresh spring roll’ as it is not deep fried as we might know of the ‘traditional’ spring roll and is refreshingly healthy. Popiah can be filled with a multitude of fillings but the best ones have an interesting blend of contrasting textures and tastes inside.

Whilst the authentic versions of Popiah involve individually making the wrappers as well, store bought Spring Roll wrappers can also do the trick. They can easily be found in most Supermarkets and in this recipe they are a quick and effective shortcut to otherwise a more labourious  process.  Here in this recipe, you can also give  the rolls a bit of time on the fry pan to give it a wonderful crisp!

So… grab a handful of fresh ingredients, a few herbs, a bunch of prawns and wrap away!!!

Try my Popiah Prawn and Vegetable Spring Rolls recipe.




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