7INTRODUCTIONThis book has been many years in the making – a culmination of 18 years studying, researching and teaching others how to cook and eat well – and I hope it will find a place in your kitchen, becoming splattered with food, littered with page markers and handwritten jottings in the margins. It is an insight into how I cook and the reasons behind the techniques I use. The recipes are a combination of notes from my cooking workshops interwoven with everyday meals I prepare for my family – plus a handful of celebratory sweets that, although I make less often, are still part of my repertoire. It is essentially my kitchen wrapped up in the pages of a book.My love for cooking began around age eight in my Nana’s kitchen. Every Thursday afternoon she would pick me up after school and we would spend the afternoon cooking a meal to share later with the family. My parents aren’t great cooks (sorry Mum and Dad!) so I think my Nana decided that I would be, and I didn’t have much choice in the matter. Luckily, I treasured those Thursday afternoon lessons (and still have the little notebook of recipes) when my Nana and I would prepare a three-course meal. It was this sharing of food around my grandparents’ table, and at the many large family gatherings over the years, that laid the foundation for the food I would cook later for my own family. This early introduction to cooking led me to train as a chef and several years later to study for a Diploma in Natural Nutrition while living in Canada. Not long after, I began teaching cooking workshops, and writing and developing recipes for magazines and food businesses. Although I have a strong interest in healthy food and cooking from my nutrition studies, at the heart of my personal food philosophy is a love of cooking good food and sharing this joy with others. Creating food from scratch is my passion but, with young children and a busy working life, time is precious, so I am constantly searching for the simplest ways to make everyday staples such as bread, yoghurt and tasty condiments. I find it particularly important to know the story behind the ingredients I use, so local seasonal produce makes up the bulk of the food I cook. I am incredibly lucky to live in an area with an ideal climate for growing a wide range of vegetables and fruit in our backyard. With around 35 fruiting trees and plants ranging from a 30-year-old apricot to a thornless blackberry patch, a hedge of feijoas, plus nut and avocado trees, we grow a decent portion of our produce needs. We also have free-range hens to supply fresh eggs.This is all accomplished on an urban property of about 800 square metres, with 30 square metres of garden beds. Constantly looking for ways to make the most of the space and increase our yield, we recently built a glasshouse out of recycled windows donated from a friend’s house renovation. Now we can grow heat-loving produce such as tomatoes, cucumbers and chillies that previously struggled in our slightly cooler valley garden. An indoor grapevine growing in our sunroom, just off the kitchen, literally brings the garden to our table. It is this indoor–outdoor space that gave life to my food blog, Homegrown Kitchen, and now this book.I started my food blog in 2012 as a place to share recipes inspired by my garden and local seasonal produce. Although it is based on what is growing in the garden, it is not a gardening blog, and this is not a gardening book. Though, the underlying message for both is knowing where our food comes from – whether from our own backyards, a local grower, small-batch producer or ethical overseas manufacturer. It is something I consider every day with the food I cook for my family.For many years I followed a gluten-free diet, after discovering in my early twenties that my energy and digestion improved when I didn’t eat gluten grains and flours. But my passion for local and nutrient-rich ingredients made relying on imported and often highly refined ingredients challenging. Then, during a trip to a Greek island, I was introduced to the potential of thoughtfully prepared grains. At the time of my visit in 2008, gluten-free didn’t exist on the little island that was still firmly entrenched in its traditions. Most 7INTRODUCTIONThis book has been many years in the making – a culmination of 18 years studying, researching and teaching others how to cook and eat well – and I hope it will find a place in your kitchen, becoming splattered with food, littered with page markers and handwritten jottings in the margins. It is an insight into how I cook and the reasons behind the techniques I use. The recipes are a combination of notes from my cooking workshops interwoven with everyday meals I prepare for my family – plus a handful of celebratory sweets that, although I make less often, are still part of my repertoire. It is essentially my kitchen wrapped up in the pages of a book.My love for cooking began around age eight in my Nana’s kitchen. Every Thursday afternoon she would pick me up after school and we would spend the afternoon cooking a meal to share later with the family. My parents aren’t great cooks (sorry Mum and Dad!) so I think my Nana decided that I would be, and I didn’t have much choice in the matter. Luckily, I treasured those Thursday afternoon lessons (and still have the little notebook of recipes) when my Nana and I would prepare a three-course meal. It was this sharing of food around my grandparents’ table, and at the many large family gatherings over the years, that laid the foundation for the food I would cook later for my own family. This early introduction to cooking led me to train as a chef and several years later to study for a Diploma in Natural Nutrition while living in Canada. Not long after, I began teaching cooking workshops, and writing and developing recipes for magazines and food businesses. Although I have a strong interest in healthy food and cooking from my nutrition studies, at the heart of my personal food philosophy is a love of cooking good food and sharing this joy with others. Creating food from scratch is my passion but, with young children and a busy working life, time is precious, so I am constantly searching for the simplest ways to make everyday staples such as bread, yoghurt and tasty condiments. I find it particularly important to know the story behind the ingredients I use, so local seasonal produce makes up the bulk of the food I cook. I am incredibly lucky to live in an area with an ideal climate for growing a wide range of vegetables and fruit in our backyard. With around 35 fruiting trees and plants ranging from a 30-year-old apricot to a thornless blackberry patch, a hedge of feijoas, plus nut and avocado trees, we grow a decent portion of our produce needs. We also have free-range hens to supply fresh eggs.This is all accomplished on an urban property of about 800 square metres, with 30 square metres of garden beds. Constantly looking for ways to make the most of the space and increase our yield, we recently built a glasshouse out of recycled windows donated from a friend’s house renovation. Now we can grow heat-loving produce such as tomatoes, cucumbers and chillies that previously struggled in our slightly cooler valley garden. An indoor grapevine growing in our sunroom, just off the kitchen, literally brings the garden to our table. It is this indoor–outdoor space that gave life to my food blog, Homegrown Kitchen, and now this book.I started my food blog in 2012 as a place to share recipes inspired by my garden and local seasonal produce. Although it is based on what is growing in the garden, it is not a gardening blog, and this is not a gardening book. Though, the underlying message for both is knowing where our food comes from – whether from our own backyards, a local grower, small-batch producer or ethical overseas manufacturer. It is something I consider every day with the food I cook for my family.For many years I followed a gluten-free diet, after discovering in my early twenties that my energy and digestion improved when I didn’t eat gluten grains and flours. But my passion for local and nutrient-rich ingredients made relying on imported and often highly refined ingredients challenging. Then, during a trip to a Greek island, I was introduced to the potential of thoughtfully prepared grains. At the time of my visit in 2008, gluten-free didn’t exist on the little island that was still firmly entrenched in its traditions. Most 8INTRODUCTION9USING THE RECIPESIngredient substitutionsWhere possible, in the recipes I have included substitutions for gluten and dairy, and noted if Flax or Chia Egg (page 16) replacement can be used. For example, if the recipe reads ‘dairy-free option’ then the alternative ingredient is listed in the ingredients list. In the case of gluten-free, a note in italics has been added to the bottom of the ingredients list, as there may be several substitutions required. As sugar options vary considerably, and the sugar used will be an individual choice, I have simply stated ‘sugar’ in the recipes where any sugar can be used, and included specific sugars or honey quantities when it is required for a particular recipe (see page 266 for more details on using sugar in this book). Onions & garlicIf following a diet where onions and garlic are not consumed, such as the FODMAP diet, the savoury recipes in this book can simply be made without them. However, onions in particular add sweetness to many recipes, especially the ‘browned’ onions in the Lentil & Coconut Dhal (page 210), where they also help to thicken the mixture. A small pinch of sugar or drizzle of honey may be needed to balance the flavours and the amount of liquid may need to be reduced.To add a gentle garlic flavour without using the actual flesh in recipes, make your own garlic-infused olive oil. To a 500ml bottle of extra virgin olive oil, add 2–3 whole garlic cloves (peeled) and leave to infuse for a week. Add the oil to dressings or drizzle over food for a subtle garlic flavour. Egg sizeThe baking recipes have been tested with size 6 or standard free-range eggs (weighing 53–61g). For my day-to-day cooking when I am not testing recipes, I use eggs from our backyard chooks, which can vary in size considerably. This is fine for scrambled eggs or omelettes but can make a significant difference to a baking recipe where the total egg quantity can be essential for success. Therefore, if you are using backyard eggs or eggs direct from the farm where they may not have been graded, always check the weight of the whole egg (unbroken) when baking, keeping within the weight range above. NZ metric weights & volumesThe weights and volumes in this book use the New Zealand metric system. There are two measurements to note that can differ from other countries: 1 cup = 250ml1 tablespoon = 15mlOven temperatureAll oven temperatures given are for a conventional oven. If using a fan-forced oven, reduce the temperature by 20˚C.days we dined at a local taverna that served the freshest menu of locally grown produce and meat. This was always accompanied by a basket of freshly baked sourdough bread and a bottle of house-pressed olive oil. In such an idyllic setting I was tempted to try everything offered and, to my surprise (and delight), I didn’t have digestive problems when consuming this naturally leavened bread. This was a pivotal point on my food journey that set me on a path to learn more about traditional food preparation, in particular sourdough bread, lacto-fermented vegetables and home preserving without large quantities of sugar. Rather than relying on the latest diets or popular ingredients, these traditional recipes have been passed down through generations, often crafted by intuition while making the most of what is available locally and seasonally, with an emphasis on preparing food to enhance digestibility and gain the most nutrition.Many books (and websites) include recipes using wholesome ingredients, but without the know-how to prepare these foods it can be difficult to take full advantage of their nutritional goodness. In some cases they can be difficult to digest, causing discomfort or even leading to food intolerance or allergies. As I experienced myself, wheat and gluten grains are examples where fermentation through souring (such as sourdough) can improve their digestibility significantly, and I have included simple techniques for achieving this throughout the book. I now make my own slow-ferment sourdough bread with organically-grown grain, but still often prepare baked goods such as cakes and cookies for my family with either spelt or gluten-free flours to provide balance and variety (and because these are generally not soured first). Therefore, many of the baking recipes in this book contain a gluten-free variation.In addition, because my son – five-year-old Teo – is lactose intolerant, many of the recipes are also dairy-free (or include a substitution). Teo developed eczema at four months and, after visiting a health professional, we removed dairy from his diet (and mine while he was breast-feeding) and his eczema cleared up. (Please note that dairy isn’t necessarily the allergen in all cases of eczema so always consult your health professional.) I have been adjusting recipes since he was little, making dairy-free milk and coconut yoghurt for him each week. From this experience, I know the additional thought and effort required to cater for food intolerance in the family and, from teaching and meeting others through my cooking workshops, I know that food intolerance and allergies are a consideration for many. My hope is that the recipes in this book are useful and can be adapted to suit your own food requirements. In the 18 years I have been studying food and nutrition, I have seen plenty of trends and diets come and go. From my workshop interactions, it is evident many people are unsure about what is best. Even I have been confused at times! Listening to my body and prioritising the enjoyment of cooking and eating good food helped me to find a place of balance. I have come to appreciate that there is no one perfect eating style that is right for everyone all of the time. Eating is a very individual and personal experience, and the food we choose is unique to each of us. Tastes are individual, food accessibility and budget are factors, religious or ethical beliefs can matter, and our ability to digest (or not) different foods all influence our choices.In this book I am not going to tell you what is right and what is wrong. Instead, I hope to inspire you with the ‘why’. Why a certain food is prepared in a particular way, or why this ingredient is combined with that ingredient. I hope that these explanations can help you make your own informed choices about what works best for you. In the recipes, where applicable, I have included optional instructions for preparing flours and grains (and other ingredients) to improve digestion. However, I want to emphasise that I have included these as options, not as rules. Use the instructions as guidance, maybe starting with one new thing such as pre-soaking lentils before cooking, or adding a splash of lemon juice to porridge oats to be soaked overnight.Most importantly, enjoy the beautiful art of food preparation that we practise every day to fill our bellies and nourish our bodies. Happy cooking and eating!Nicola8INTRODUCTION9USING THE RECIPESIngredient substitutionsWhere possible, in the recipes I have included substitutions for gluten and dairy, and noted if Flax or Chia Egg (page 16) replacement can be used. For example, if the recipe reads ‘dairy-free option’ then the alternative ingredient is listed in the ingredients list. In the case of gluten-free, a note in italics has been added to the bottom of the ingredients list, as there may be several substitutions required. As sugar options vary considerably, and the sugar used will be an individual choice, I have simply stated ‘sugar’ in the recipes where any sugar can be used, and included specific sugars or honey quantities when it is required for a particular recipe (see page 266 for more details on using sugar in this book). Onions & garlicIf following a diet where onions and garlic are not consumed, such as the FODMAP diet, the savoury recipes in this book can simply be made without them. However, onions in particular add sweetness to many recipes, especially the ‘browned’ onions in the Lentil & Coconut Dhal (page 210), where they also help to thicken the mixture. A small pinch of sugar or drizzle of honey may be needed to balance the flavours and the amount of liquid may need to be reduced.To add a gentle garlic flavour without using the actual flesh in recipes, make your own garlic-infused olive oil. To a 500ml bottle of extra virgin olive oil, add 2–3 whole garlic cloves (peeled) and leave to infuse for a week. Add the oil to dressings or drizzle over food for a subtle garlic flavour. Egg sizeThe baking recipes have been tested with size 6 or standard free-range eggs (weighing 53–61g). For my day-to-day cooking when I am not testing recipes, I use eggs from our backyard chooks, which can vary in size considerably. This is fine for scrambled eggs or omelettes but can make a significant difference to a baking recipe where the total egg quantity can be essential for success. Therefore, if you are using backyard eggs or eggs direct from the farm where they may not have been graded, always check the weight of the whole egg (unbroken) when baking, keeping within the weight range above. NZ metric weights & volumesThe weights and volumes in this book use the New Zealand metric system. There are two measurements to note that can differ from other countries: 1 cup = 250ml1 tablespoon = 15mlOven temperatureAll oven temperatures given are for a conventional oven. If using a fan-forced oven, reduce the temperature by 20˚C.days we dined at a local taverna that served the freshest menu of locally grown produce and meat. This was always accompanied by a basket of freshly baked sourdough bread and a bottle of house-pressed olive oil. In such an idyllic setting I was tempted to try everything offered and, to my surprise (and delight), I didn’t have digestive problems when consuming this naturally leavened bread. This was a pivotal point on my food journey that set me on a path to learn more about traditional food preparation, in particular sourdough bread, lacto-fermented vegetables and home preserving without large quantities of sugar. Rather than relying on the latest diets or popular ingredients, these traditional recipes have been passed down through generations, often crafted by intuition while making the most of what is available locally and seasonally, with an emphasis on preparing food to enhance digestibility and gain the most nutrition.Many books (and websites) include recipes using wholesome ingredients, but without the know-how to prepare these foods it can be difficult to take full advantage of their nutritional goodness. In some cases they can be difficult to digest, causing discomfort or even leading to food intolerance or allergies. As I experienced myself, wheat and gluten grains are examples where fermentation through souring (such as sourdough) can improve their digestibility significantly, and I have included simple techniques for achieving this throughout the book. I now make my own slow-ferment sourdough bread with organically-grown grain, but still often prepare baked goods such as cakes and cookies for my family with either spelt or gluten-free flours to provide balance and variety (and because these are generally not soured first). Therefore, many of the baking recipes in this book contain a gluten-free variation.In addition, because my son – five-year-old Teo – is lactose intolerant, many of the recipes are also dairy-free (or include a substitution). Teo developed eczema at four months and, after visiting a health professional, we removed dairy from his diet (and mine while he was breast-feeding) and his eczema cleared up. (Please note that dairy isn’t necessarily the allergen in all cases of eczema so always consult your health professional.) I have been adjusting recipes since he was little, making dairy-free milk and coconut yoghurt for him each week. From this experience, I know the additional thought and effort required to cater for food intolerance in the family and, from teaching and meeting others through my cooking workshops, I know that food intolerance and allergies are a consideration for many. My hope is that the recipes in this book are useful and can be adapted to suit your own food requirements. In the 18 years I have been studying food and nutrition, I have seen plenty of trends and diets come and go. From my workshop interactions, it is evident many people are unsure about what is best. Even I have been confused at times! Listening to my body and prioritising the enjoyment of cooking and eating good food helped me to find a place of balance. I have come to appreciate that there is no one perfect eating style that is right for everyone all of the time. Eating is a very individual and personal experience, and the food we choose is unique to each of us. Tastes are individual, food accessibility and budget are factors, religious or ethical beliefs can matter, and our ability to digest (or not) different foods all influence our choices.In this book I am not going to tell you what is right and what is wrong. Instead, I hope to inspire you with the ‘why’. Why a certain food is prepared in a particular way, or why this ingredient is combined with that ingredient. I hope that these explanations can help you make your own informed choices about what works best for you. In the recipes, where applicable, I have included optional instructions for preparing flours and grains (and other ingredients) to improve digestion. However, I want to emphasise that I have included these as options, not as rules. Use the instructions as guidance, maybe starting with one new thing such as pre-soaking lentils before cooking, or adding a splash of lemon juice to porridge oats to be soaked overnight.Most importantly, enjoy the beautiful art of food preparation that we practise every day to fill our bellies and nourish our bodies. Happy cooking and eating!Nicola108PRESERVING & FERMENTATIONSLOW-ROAST TOMATO SAUCEThis is my favourite way to preserve tomatoes, as the slow roasting intensifies the flavour. I’ve also found this recipe is a tasty way to utilise the excess, moisture-heavy zucchini from the garden. The result is a rich and creamy tomato sauce that can be simply heated and stirred through pasta, spread on pizza, or served as a soup topped with parmesan.MAKES APPROX. 6 × 600ML JARS / GLUTEN-FREE / DAIRY-FREEPreheat oven to 160°C. Wash 6 × 600ml jars in hot soapy water and rinse well, or run them through the dishwasher. Set aside to dry on a dish rack while preparing the vegetables. Roughly chop the tomatoes, zucchini, onion and capsicum into similar sized pieces. Arrange snugly on two baking trays and scatter with whole garlic cloves and torn basil leaves or oregano. Drizzle each tray with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon salt per tray. Slow-roast for 1 hour, swapping the trays around halfway through for even cooking. Pour the tender vegetables into a bowl and purée with a stick blender to desired consistency. Use either the Water Bath or Open Pan preserving method (pages 100–101) to bottle the sauce into jars. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the top of each jar (this increases the acid content in the sauce so it will store in the pantry for up to 12 months). Alternatively, you can freeze into portioned containers (lemon juice is not required when freezing). Once the jars are completely cool, check the lids have properly vacuum-sealed. Name and date the jars and store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 12 months. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within 1 week.4kg vine-ripened tomatoes1kg zucchini 1 red onion1 red capsicum (optional) 1 garlic bulb, cloves separated and peeledhandful of fresh basil leaves or 1 tablespoon dried oregano4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 teaspoons saltapprox. 6 tablespoons lemon juicePreserved Tomatoes During one of my first preserving seasons, I hand-peeled a box-load of tomatoes to make bottled whole peeled tomatoes. When I opened the first jar in winter to find very runny, flavourless tomatoes, I decided there had to be a better way. The next summer I decided to utilise the dry heat of the oven to evaporate some of the excess liquid and intensify the flavours. The result was tomato perfection and I have not looked back since. I use this sauce in place of canned tomatoes in cooking. I also like to mix it up with different vegetable flavours – omitting the zucchini and capsicum and adding sliced carrot and celery with fresh thyme or rosemary leaves makes a wonderful sauce for Lamb Ragu (page 248).108PRESERVING & FERMENTATIONSLOW-ROAST TOMATO SAUCEThis is my favourite way to preserve tomatoes, as the slow roasting intensifies the flavour. I’ve also found this recipe is a tasty way to utilise the excess, moisture-heavy zucchini from the garden. The result is a rich and creamy tomato sauce that can be simply heated and stirred through pasta, spread on pizza, or served as a soup topped with parmesan.MAKES APPROX. 6 × 600ML JARS / GLUTEN-FREE / DAIRY-FREEPreheat oven to 160°C. Wash 6 × 600ml jars in hot soapy water and rinse well, or run them through the dishwasher. Set aside to dry on a dish rack while preparing the vegetables. Roughly chop the tomatoes, zucchini, onion and capsicum into similar sized pieces. Arrange snugly on two baking trays and scatter with whole garlic cloves and torn basil leaves or oregano. Drizzle each tray with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon salt per tray. Slow-roast for 1 hour, swapping the trays around halfway through for even cooking. Pour the tender vegetables into a bowl and purée with a stick blender to desired consistency. Use either the Water Bath or Open Pan preserving method (pages 100–101) to bottle the sauce into jars. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the top of each jar (this increases the acid content in the sauce so it will store in the pantry for up to 12 months). Alternatively, you can freeze into portioned containers (lemon juice is not required when freezing). Once the jars are completely cool, check the lids have properly vacuum-sealed. Name and date the jars and store in a cool, dark pantry for up to 12 months. Once opened, store in the fridge and use within 1 week.4kg vine-ripened tomatoes1kg zucchini 1 red onion1 red capsicum (optional) 1 garlic bulb, cloves separated and peeledhandful of fresh basil leaves or 1 tablespoon dried oregano4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 teaspoons saltapprox. 6 tablespoons lemon juicePreserved Tomatoes During one of my first preserving seasons, I hand-peeled a box-load of tomatoes to make bottled whole peeled tomatoes. When I opened the first jar in winter to find very runny, flavourless tomatoes, I decided there had to be a better way. The next summer I decided to utilise the dry heat of the oven to evaporate some of the excess liquid and intensify the flavours. The result was tomato perfection and I have not looked back since. I use this sauce in place of canned tomatoes in cooking. I also like to mix it up with different vegetable flavours – omitting the zucchini and capsicum and adding sliced carrot and celery with fresh thyme or rosemary leaves makes a wonderful sauce for Lamb Ragu (page 248).230EVENING – SEAFOODFISH & KALE TURMERIC LAKSASoup for dinner is not unusual in our house. I think it is the one-pot meal aspect I love so much, plus the layering of flavours and textures. Although this laksa can be eaten all year round, it is particularly beneficial in the winter months, as it is loaded with warming turmeric and ginger.Asian cuisine is all about the balance of flavours, in particular salty, sour, sweet and spicy. In this recipe the key flavours are salty tamari and fish sauce, sour lime juice, sweet palm sugar and fiery chillies. Check the flavour before serving, and adjust as needed to find the perfect balance.SERVES 4 / GLUTEN-FREE / DAIRY-FREE1.5 litres / 6 cups homemade fish or vegetable stock2 tablespoons tamari or quality soy sauce*1 tablespoon fish sauce or extra tamari3cm knob fresh ginger, thinly sliced1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 red chilli, chopped (optional)1 teaspoon finely grated palm sugar or honeyapprox. 300g pumpkin, cut into 2cm cubes500g white fish fillets, cut into 2cm cubesOR firm tofu, cut into 2cm cubes5 kale leaves, stalks removed and leaves roughly chopped1½ cups / 375ml homemade coconut milk (see right)OR 400ml can coconut milk150g rice noodles or bean thread vermicellijuice of 1 lime + extra lime wedges to servechopped coriander leaves to serve*Check tamari or soy sauce is gluten-free if required.In a large saucepan, combine the stock, tamari/soy sauce, fish sauce, ginger, turmeric, chilli and palm sugar. Bring to the boil, add the pumpkin and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the fish or tofu, kale, coconut milk and noodles. Bring back to a gentle simmer and continue to cook for a further 8–10 minutes until the fish is tender. Squeeze in the lime juice and check the flavour, adding extra fish sauce, lime juice and/or palm sugar if needed to get the perfect balance of salty, sour, spicy and sweet. Serve soup hot with wedges of lime and chopped coriander.Homemade Coconut Milk & Cream:To make 1½ cups (375ml) coconut milk: In a food processor or blender, blitz 1½ cups (150g) desiccated coconut with 1½ cups (375ml) hot water for 1–2 minutes until milky. Strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve or nut milk bag, twisting the cloth into a ball and squeezing out the milk. Use homemade coconut milk within 3 days. The leftover coconut pulp can be added to baking or truffles in place of ground nuts. To make coconut cream, use 3 cups (300g) desiccated coconut to 1½ cups (375ml) hot water.Naturally Fermented Fish Sauce Fish sauce is often used in Southeast Asian cuisine to add flavour and saltiness to a dish. It is traditionally made by fermenting anchovies with salt, and the resulting liquid is then bottled. Look for good-quality fish sauce – available from Asian grocers and some supermarkets. The ingredient list should read simply: anchovy, salt and sugar (a very small amount of sugar is used in the fermentation process). If you are new to fish sauce, be aware that it does have a fishy smell, but this shouldn’t overpower the dish. Tamari or soy sauce can be used as a replacement or vegetarian option, but they are not as salty as fish sauce so check the flavour and add a pinch of salt if needed.230EVENING – SEAFOODFISH & KALE TURMERIC LAKSASoup for dinner is not unusual in our house. I think it is the one-pot meal aspect I love so much, plus the layering of flavours and textures. Although this laksa can be eaten all year round, it is particularly beneficial in the winter months, as it is loaded with warming turmeric and ginger.Asian cuisine is all about the balance of flavours, in particular salty, sour, sweet and spicy. In this recipe the key flavours are salty tamari and fish sauce, sour lime juice, sweet palm sugar and fiery chillies. Check the flavour before serving, and adjust as needed to find the perfect balance.SERVES 4 / GLUTEN-FREE / DAIRY-FREE1.5 litres / 6 cups homemade fish or vegetable stock2 tablespoons tamari or quality soy sauce*1 tablespoon fish sauce or extra tamari3cm knob fresh ginger, thinly sliced1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 red chilli, chopped (optional)1 teaspoon finely grated palm sugar or honeyapprox. 300g pumpkin, cut into 2cm cubes500g white fish fillets, cut into 2cm cubesOR firm tofu, cut into 2cm cubes5 kale leaves, stalks removed and leaves roughly chopped1½ cups / 375ml homemade coconut milk (see right)OR 400ml can coconut milk150g rice noodles or bean thread vermicellijuice of 1 lime + extra lime wedges to servechopped coriander leaves to serve*Check tamari or soy sauce is gluten-free if required.In a large saucepan, combine the stock, tamari/soy sauce, fish sauce, ginger, turmeric, chilli and palm sugar. Bring to the boil, add the pumpkin and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the fish or tofu, kale, coconut milk and noodles. Bring back to a gentle simmer and continue to cook for a further 8–10 minutes until the fish is tender. Squeeze in the lime juice and check the flavour, adding extra fish sauce, lime juice and/or palm sugar if needed to get the perfect balance of salty, sour, spicy and sweet. Serve soup hot with wedges of lime and chopped coriander.Homemade Coconut Milk & Cream:To make 1½ cups (375ml) coconut milk: In a food processor or blender, blitz 1½ cups (150g) desiccated coconut with 1½ cups (375ml) hot water for 1–2 minutes until milky. Strain through a cheesecloth-lined sieve or nut milk bag, twisting the cloth into a ball and squeezing out the milk. Use homemade coconut milk within 3 days. The leftover coconut pulp can be added to baking or truffles in place of ground nuts. To make coconut cream, use 3 cups (300g) desiccated coconut to 1½ cups (375ml) hot water.Naturally Fermented Fish Sauce Fish sauce is often used in Southeast Asian cuisine to add flavour and saltiness to a dish. It is traditionally made by fermenting anchovies with salt, and the resulting liquid is then bottled. Look for good-quality fish sauce – available from Asian grocers and some supermarkets. The ingredient list should read simply: anchovy, salt and sugar (a very small amount of sugar is used in the fermentation process). If you are new to fish sauce, be aware that it does have a fishy smell, but this shouldn’t overpower the dish. Tamari or soy sauce can be used as a replacement or vegetarian option, but they are not as salty as fish sauce so check the flavour and add a pinch of salt if needed.Next >