Author Archives: Helen Jackson

Essential Asian Ingredients

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The flavours of SE Asia are popular and many of us like to cook Thai, Vietnamese etc… at home yet don’t have the space or inclination to buy loads of extra ingredients.

What essential ingredients do you need to get by and where do you find them?

Here is our simple list of essential Asian ingredients, how does this compare to yours?

PANTRY

Tamari Soy Sauce – good flavour and perfect for dipping sushi, also generally gluten free.
Rice Wine – Predominantly used in Chinese cooking and is usually found in master stocks where meat is poached in a liquid that is then reused.
Fragrant Fried Chicken
4 1/2 Cup Chicken
Sticky Asian Oxtail

Rice Wine Vinegar – Used in dipping sauces and dressings this vinegar is much milder than most other vinegars.
Sesame Soy Dressing
Soba Noodle and Salmon Salad
Asian Slaw

Sesame Oil – Generally used in conjunction with other oils sesame oil has a rich strong sesame flavour and is generally used sparingly.
Aromatic Salmon
Sesame Chicken Salad

Fish Sauce – An essential ingredient, fish sauce is made from fermented fish and salt.  It doesn’t need refrigeration (even after opening) and is used as both a condiment and ingredient.

Srirachi Chilli Sauce – Fiercely hot and totally addictive.  As well as being a great condiment for Asian recipes try a few dots on your bacon and eggs….

Neutral flavoured oil e.g rice bran,  canola – Oil is needed for frying and also dressings.

Coconut Milk –  Much thinner than coconut cream, coconut milk is great for curries and also poaching chicken or fish.  We use Kara brand due to the fact that it has a consistent texture and good colour.
Chicken Poached in Coconut and Lime

Coconut Cream – Thick and creamy, coconut cream can be used along with coconut milk in curries.  Once again my preference is Kara brand.

Peanuts – great for satays or for providing texture to stir-fries and salads.

Cashew Nuts – Add texture to stir-fries and salads.

Coconut – Toasted coconut provides flavour and texture

Sesame Seeds –  Often used to coat chicken or sprinkled over stir-fries.

Crisp fried Shallots/Onion – These may have to be bought at an Asian supermarket.  They are packaged in sealed bags or plastic jars and are used for adding crunch and flavour.  Sprinkle over curries, stir-fries, soups and salads.

Jasmine Rice

Noodles

Ground Cumin
Ground Coriander
Dried Chilli Flakes
Ground Turmeric
Sri Lankan Fish Curry

Whole Star Anise
Chinese Five Spice

Garlic
Shallots – A more gentle flavour than regular brown onions, shallots are ideal of SE Asian recipes but if none then use red onion.

FREEZER

Lemongrass – Buy frozen at Asian supermarkets and store in the freezer simply breaking off pieces as needed.  Pre- chopped frozen lemongrass is also often available.

Root Ginger – just grate straight from the freezer.  No need to remove skin.

Galangal – Difficult to substitute, galangal looks like ginger but actually has a peppery flavour that is also sour.
Thai Chicken and Coconut Soup
Fish Amok

 

Turmeric – More fragrant and flavoursome than dried turmeric.  Buy this when you see it and store in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer.

Small Red Chillies – forever useful but not always available so just buy when you see them and freeze in a resealable plastic bag.

Kaffir Lime Leaves – Providing a lovely citrus aroma and flavour to dishes without the acidity usually associated with citrus.  Those in mild areas can easily grow trees while others can store leaves in the freezer for use over the winter months.

GARDEN

 

 

 

Coriander – Easily grown in most of NZ but season dependent.  Grocery stores usually have this all year round.
Basil – Thai basil is great but you can also use sweet basil.
Mint – English mint is used in Vietnamese cooking as is, of course, Vietnamese mint.
Limes – Juice is indispensable.  Freeze some for the summer months when limes are not typically fruiting.
Lemons 
Lemongrass (or in the freezer) – A mild climate is needed for growing lemongrass, so is vigilant watering.
Kaffir Lime Leaves (or in freezer) – In warmer areas kaffir lime trees flourish.

Have I missed anything obvious that you think is essential for SE Asian cooking?

 

May 2017

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Having just hosted a tour to Vietnam I feel inspired to add more Vietnamese dishes to our usual repertoire and realise that my little herb garden needs to at least double in size.
Fresh herbs are an integral part of meals and are used by the handful, fresh and delicious.
We will have some new recipes published as soon as I can pin down Liz for a day of photography.
Our trip was loads of fun, we had an amazing group and I am now in the process of deciding where to next year.  Mexico is looking likely and if you have any interest in looking at this then please do email me and I will be sure to keep you posted.
Happy Cooking!

How to Make Vietnamese Pancakes – Banh Xeo

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After a few weeks of travelling Vietname enjoying light and crispy Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pancakes) stuffed with masses of herbs, salad leaves, sprouts, prawns, crisp dried onions, a dash of fish and hot chilli sauces, my meals at home don’t have quite the same appeal.
For those who love fragrant, textured and great flavoured dishes then Vietnamese food is sure to be for you and Banh Xeo is a fabulous way to start or end the day.  These delicious wraps can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack in between.

Pancakes are of course universally popular but what sets these apart from others is their crispness (not so crisp that they can’t be folded), and a thin, light texture.

Mrs Mười Xiềm is one of the most famous Ban Xeo makers in Vietnam. From Cần Thơ, she has been making her pancakes for over 50 years and was skyrocketed to  fame after being invited to cook at a festival in the USA.  Since then tourists have flocked to her small humble cafe and the walls boast photos of both her and the celebrities that have eaten there.  Subsequently, the Muroi Xiem name has grown into a Ban Xeo restaurant chain.  There is some debate about whether Muoi Xiem herself is involved in the restaurant chain or whether she sold out her name. Thankfully we ate at the original, with her and her family, so know that what we ate is the recipe she approves of.

What you eat in your Banh Xeo depends on where in Vietnam you are, the time of year and also personal preference as sometimes you get to construct your own.

Skillfully wrapped and eaten by hand, sometimes the pancake comes with rice paper to wrap around the outside, some use large leaves and the rest of us do our best just to manage to wrap and eat without spilling.  :)

Banh Xeo are simple to make at home.  Some recipes found online will have the addition of an egg yet in my experimenting I think the best texture is achieved just from using rice flour, coconut milk, water and turmeric.  The egg makes a spongier pancake without the crispness that is so important.

In terms of filling, this, of course, is completely personal.  I overload mine with herbs and leaves and just a scattering of prawns whereas the kids in our house prefer meat with chopped cucumber and a few herbs.

Banh Xeo – Serves 4-5

1 1/2 cups rice flour
2 tablespoons cornflour
400ml can coconut milk
1 1/2 cups chilled water
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
Set aside to rest for at least 2 hours.

Heat a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat and drizzle with a little oil.
Pour in approximately 1/3 cup batter and very quickly swirl the pan to distribute the batter as thin as possible.  Little holes in the batter are just fine.
Cook until crisp on one side and then turn and cook the other side.
Fill and fold or roll into parcels.  Some pancakes will be too crisp to roll but should be able to be folded.

Filling Options

Chopped barbecued pork (I buy this from an Asian bbq shop)
and/or Cooked prawns
and/or Grilled chicken strips – not necessarily traditional but my kids like this.

mung sprouts
mint leaves
coriander leaves
basil leaves (preferably Thai basil but can use sweet basil)
salad leaves
sliced spring onion
sliced red onion

roasted peanuts
crisp fried onions

Dressing

1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon Vietnamese fish sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 small red chilli, seeds removed and finely sliced

Marshmallow Easter Eggs

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These Easter Eggs are fabulous, the texture of the marshmallow is soft and luscious and they are truly easy to make.
In our house they are more popular than store bought eggs.
You can make them as halves and then seal them together with melted chocolate once set but we are happy with them as is.

You will also need around 8 cups of flour to create the bed for the moulds and 1 egg to   make the indents in the flour.  The flour is not wasted, you just return it to the container afterwards.

Take them Food!

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6 weeks ago today (and counting) I had a fall outside at home (on wet concrete) which resulted in a gash to my head, elbow and also concussion.
For an A-type personality that is used to organising work, family and charity, the ongoing motion sickness type nausea and brain fog completely threw me as did the inability to look at technology screens for more than a few minutes.
In those first weeks (and even sometimes now) the challenge for Ed to cope with his day job plus managing kids AND putting a meal on the table each night was huge and it gave me a very real awareness of how absolutely AMAZING gifts of food are.

Forget the flowers but a lasagne would be fantastic!

Friends want to help but maybe the thought of cooking a meal for someone else (particularly someone who works in food) could be intimidating, yet for us on the receiving end a gifted meal is the best thing ever.

To the friends who delivered chicken pie, pasta bake, soup and slices, I truly could have smothered them with hugs and I am not a particularly huggy type of person.
I know that sometimes people worry about being invasive but I would say please don’t.  Even if you don’t want to engage in conversation then leave something at the door and text to say it is there.

For those that prefer not to cook yet want to be helpful then you can always look at places that make good quality meals to go that are able to be reheated at home.

This list is just a start of places that make quality meals to go.  I would love to hear some of your suggestions as well.

National
Angel Delivery Courier delivered meals to most places excluding RD addresses.
feedback from my friend Jeanette “it was literally as good if not better than homemade”.

Eat.co.nz  Simple honest fare that is great for sending to those recuperating or perhaps elderly family members that need some help with meals.

Primal Kitchen  With a focus on meals high in protein, fat and low in carbohydrates, Primal kitchen deliver around NZ.

North island

Feed Me Each Thursday the menu for the following week is posted.  Orders can be couriered throughout the north island with the exception of RD addresses.

Auckland

The Casual Foodie (Birkenhead), pick up or delivery.  This comes highly recommended and the menu selection looks delicious.

Ripe Deli (Ponsonby) is famous for its frozen fare in double or family sized servings.

Gingerbirds (Dominion Rd, Mt Eden).  A fabulous range of takeout meals in single, double or family sized servings.

Jess’ Underground Kitchen Jervois Rd.  Jess’ food is fast growing in popularity and her meals to go are receiving rave reviews.

Cook’s Night Off Food made with love is the byline and the love is certainly shared.  Every meal you buy provides a meal for a person in need through the Auckland City Mission.
Menu changes weekly, delivery covers the Auckland area.

Hawkes Bay 

Mylk Napier and Hastings.  Fresh and healthy salads, apparently the best lasagne, menu varies from week to week.

Wellington

 

Christchurch

Richards Real Kitchen.  If you have wondered where Richard Till has gone, he is busy cooking ready made meals from his kitchen in Christchurch.  There are several pick up locations available.

Traiteur (Merivale). One of the fabulous things about Traiteur is that you can customise your meals to suit.  Pick the protein and match with your preferred vegetables.
Menu varies from week to week and is healthy and delicious.

Wanaka

Fedeli Tucked in alongside popular cafe Federal Diner, Fedeli is the perfect place to pick up full flavoured meals such as Moroccan lamb, chicken curry etc… for nights when you just don’t want to cook.

Florences Foodstore and Cafe  Florences is well known for its cafe food but also has frozen meals to go. Coq au vin and Lamb tagine to name but a few.

Quick and Easy Courgette Noodles with Pesto Chicken

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This dish is light, satisfying and super healthy.
I am a late starter to spiralising but now that I have started I completely see what others like about it.  Great for those wanting to lower their carb intake but still enjoy meals that typically would have had pasta or rice bases.

March

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The last month has been a reminder to me of the importance of good friends as I deal with concussion from a fall at home.
A family meal is such an incredible gift when the “cook” in the house is finding it difficult to rise from the sofa and the other half is trying to manage his day job and the kids activities.
Never underestimate the power of food and the sweet treats were pretty special too!
A friend brought around a container of Tan Square which went straight to the freezer before the kids saw it.  Each day I would enjoy an after lunch cup of tea and a piece of frozen tan square.
Nothing like a treat to restore the spirits.
Happy Cooking!

A Free-Range Hens Life

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The recent furore around free-range eggs has prompted me to write a bit about a genuine free-range egg farm and also about egg farming  in general.
Despite a company looking like they were not being ethical there are many credible free-range egg farmers in New Zealand.

There are two tricky/sticky questions that often come up when it comes to egg production, being; what happens to male chickens and what happens when egg production drops?
The reality is that no matter how much these farmers care for their birds, they have to run a commercially viable business. Farms buy in female pullets, they have no place for roosters and once egg production drops the birds are culled and often used in pet food production or possibly chicken stock.
All farming involves the culling of animals/birds well within their natural life expectancy but surely that is what farming is about? As long as it is humane then isn’t this just what farmers have to do?
Most of us enjoy a roast leg of lamb without worrying about the fact that the lamb didn’t get to see in its first birthday…  Our roast chicken is probably lucky to have reached 4 months in age.

Onto free-range egg farming, with this disclaimer: I look after the Facebook page for Big Paddock free-range eggs so therefore I do have an interest in this particular farm. However even with a commercial relationship, I wouldn’t wax lyrical unless I felt inclined to.  Big Paddock eggs are distributed by Henergy eggs. Henergy cage-free eggs are in the Wairarapa and have the SPCA blue tick.
I have visited Big Paddock many times and been able to wander as I like, taking photos and small videos of whatever takes my fancy.  There are no secrets, the farm is what it is.  Visitors are not encouraged, people can bring in unwanted bugs (as in germs) and also it is a farm not a tourist operation. Big Paddock is in the Whangaripo valley near Matakana and they also sell eggs under the Whangaripo eggs label.

Big Paddock hens spend their daylight hours free to roam and forage amongst trees, paddocks and alongside streams.  It is a delight to visit and see so many hens (30,000 or so) living such a good life and looking healthy and happy.  Not that I am an expert on hen happiness but they look pretty good to me.

Understanding that hens were naturally forest birds, owner Matthew Quested has a huge tree planting plan in place and there are a few thousand young trees that in a year or two will change the face of the farm. Firstly fast growing varieties such as poplars have been planted but there are also slower growing natives in amongst them so that eventually the natives can take over,  in the meantime the hens have shelter – and trees to perch in.

Hens love a place to perch and if there are not trees nearby then tractors or even people will suffice.
The childhood story of Henny Penny is not so far from the truth as hens do have an innate fear of open spaces and what may be above them although probably it is more a concern of marauding hungry hawks as opposed to worrying about the sky falling on top of them.

 

A common concern about free range farms is whether the hens actually go outdoors or if the doors are small and few and the majority of hens stay where they are.   Having been at Big Paddock early in the morning and watched the doors open, the hens do most definitely make their way out of the shed and the sides of the sheds also open to allow ventilation throughout the day. Yes there are hens that stay close to the sheds rather than venture into the paddocks but as the trees grow and form adequate shelter and protection it is hoped that this will entice all of the hens out from the safety of the buildings.

Matthew feels very confident that there are some great free-range egg farms around the country and that the scandal that is currently unfolding is only the minority.
It is however difficult for us as the shopper to know whether the free-range eggs we are buying are truly that.  Some farms have the SPCA blue tick accreditation for animal welfare. The blue tick does not mean that the hens are free range but that the eggs are farmed ethically with a high regard for animal welfare.  It also doesn’t mean that those without the tick are substandard.  The SPCA tick does come at a financial cost and not all farmers believe this is how it should be done.
Matthew hopes that the egg industry board will initiate an independent auditing system of free range farms to give an assurance to shoppers that their eggs are genuinely what they are labelled to be.
In the meantime,I guess you just need to have some faith that most farmers are trying to do the right thing!

Are you a free-range egg shopper?

Vomo Island – Pure Bliss!

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As I sit and sip my spicy sweet ginger tea, having just had one of the most sensational massages of my life, my foodwriter brain is working out if they will share the recipe and my rational side realises there is no point asking as making it at home is not what this is about. It is as much about the mouthfuls of fabulously spicy ginger sweetness as it is about the total Vomo experience.
Moments of perfection are rare, yet here at Vomo Island I experience many flashes of total overwhelming happiness and one that even brings me to tears.
As a passionate snorkeller but less than confident swimmer, I am in heaven snorkelling along a reef that fringes the island. We are quickly enamoured with the boys in the boat who skilfully guide us to the best snorkelling spots and kindly prepare our masks and snorkels. We are extra happy when they find us a huge turtle within seconds of hitting the water. The sea is as soft as silk, no scary currents and is teaming with hundreds, if not thousands of fish, quietly drifting amongst the coral gardens. The colours are amazing and I am bubbling with excitement to find not just one but entire families (well schools) of cheeky little clownfish aka Nemo. Everything is gentle and silent, other than that funny little crackling noise of fish nibbling on coral. This is my snorkelling nirvana and a great private place to let some happy tears flow.

The sun is shining in a cornflower blue sky and as the warm breeze dries our hair and the boat cuts ripples through the water, it is a reminder of how good life can be.

Vomo island is small, perfectly accessible to circumnavigate by foot at low tide but also has a peak in the middle so those who feel the need to blow some air on a daily basis can head up the hill for an invigorating morning walk. The views are outstanding, sunrise worth capturing, and due to the restricted number of guests on the island you really can feel that you are quite alone on top of the world.

Vomo caters for a maximum of 70 (ish) guests at any one time and unless you opt to bask poolside, you really don’t have to spend much time with anyone else – unless you choose to.
I have never quite understood the logic of being on a white sand beach with postcard perfect water and opting to swim in a pool,  I am so completely happy luxuriating in one of the beachside hammocks right outside our private villa, with gentle sea breezes and the clear turquoise water only a few metres away. Baby (and I mean truly baby) reef sharks glide by, their tiny black pointed fins creating ripples as they cruise the knee deep shallows foraging for food.

For those wanting a bit more action the golf course looks pretty swish and tennis is an option as well. Paddle boards, kayaks and other water sports are all on hand, but for me this is an opportunity to truly relax, kick back and nibble on treats such as Fiji chocolate, tropical fruit and crisps that have been kindly placed in our fridge.

Meals are price included at Vomo, and reflect both the nature of the resort and environment. Menus are planned with consideration to their particular clientele with plenty of choices for everyone.
Breakfast is always one of my favourite meals and the Vomo breakfast is up there with the best. I LOVE the continental buffet of gorgeous juices, fruit, yoghurts and pastries and also the ability to order coffee just as good as I get at home.  Those needing a savoury protein kick will be more than happy with the extensive list of cooked breakfast offerings.
Vomo welcomes kids (yes to a kids club) which is worth taking into consideration as to when and where you eat. For those travelling without, a table under the stars at night gives you plenty of peace and privacy and the Rocks bar (child free) is a great place to settle in for a sunset cocktail and watch the occasional bat fly over in their search of an evening meal. Non alcoholic drinks are complimentary and the wine list boasts a carefully considered selection of wine and a fabulous choice of champagne available to purchase.
The Fiji coconut rum liqueur makes a deliciously indulgent end to a meal.

Cyclone Winston packed a big punch to Vomo and while the rooms, bar and restaurant are back up to their usual impeccable standard, the gardens need time to grow. The reliance of fruit trees and vegetable gardens has had to be put on hold temporarily, until nature has time to regenerate.
With regular boats and flights in and out of the island fresh produce arrives daily from nearby Viti Levu.
Guests can choose their mode of transport to and from Vomo with choices of float plane, helicopter or boat. Sitting alongside the pilot in our float plane was another of those huge happiness moments and aside from feeling like a celebrity (I wish), the view from the helicopter glass bubble to tiny islands and reefs is extraordinary. The boat trip is also easy as Vomo is really only a whisper away from Port Denerau.

Vomo is one of those very special places that is built and managed by the owners with care and love and this is reflected by the warm and engaging staff and the total attention to detail.

Extra Highlights:

*Laundry service delivered to your door, wrapped in tissue with a lovely lavender fragrance.
*Super comfortable beds, quality cotton sheets and perfect pillows.
*Stylish furniture throughout (think Dedon).
*L’Occitane bath products and my outdoor bath
*Private island picnic by arrangement at Vomo lailai
*Gorgeous staff
*A choice of beachfront, hillside or luxurious large villas.
*No television but yes to wifi

Accommodation details and pricing here – Vomofiji.com

Helen travelled as a guest of Tourism Fiji and Vomo island.