All Good Things Issue 5
Oven-Baked Miso Salmon + Chinese Scallion Pancakes + Pomodoro Technique + Cola Espresso Martini
ISSUE 5 / JUNE 20, 2021
Welcome new peeps to my All Good Things newsletter. It is here where I share a bit of my life, a part of me and my photography, things I am cooking, reading, watching, discovering! All Good Things!
Winter is peaking here in Sydney and sunrises are an hour later than usual. But they are as spectacular as ever. They last for only a minute or two and light up the sky softly at first and then with an intensity so vast and infinite that all you can do is look at it with awe. Somehow, managing to witness something so fleeting and beautiful makes me feel like my day matters. And then, when I walk to the front garden to see the boys off as they walk to the bus stop (because they always turn and wave!), I see parrots (at least 5-6 of them!) drinking from the blossoms of my camellia tree. It always makes my day!
OVEN-BAKED MISO SALMON
A recent family favourite no-fuss, one-tray baked dinner. I created a recipe for this Oven Baked Miso Salmon after discovering that I could buy slabs of boneless salmon online. This Japanese-inspired Asian baked salmon only needs a really good marinade that can be prepared ahead by mixing a handful of ingredients. Chopped potatoes and carrots get semi-roasted first, marinated salmon gets added to the tray and everything gets baked together again. Finally, lots of fresh greens and sesame seeds for a topping and steamed rice on the side. A delicious, full of flavour dinner that everyone loves!
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On my Cooking Wishlist this week
These Jammy Sun-Dried Tomato White Beans With Crispy Breadcrumbs for breakfast.
Maple Sriracha Roasted Cauliflower! YUM!
Roasted Sweet Potatoes In Tomato Lime Spice Sauce. Oh My! And a Baked Feta With Chickpeas And Greens.
These Sticky Banana Puddings With Burnt Butterscotch Sauce for breakfast mmm .... actually dessert! And also this Apple Hazelnut Cake!
I love experimenting in the kitchen and trying out more involved recipes on Sundays. Not only do I get to learn new techniques but we all get to enjoy tasting something new and fun. Why not try you hand at making these Vegan Chinese Spring Onion Pancakes With Sesame Dipping Sauce. They are surprisingly easy, the hot water dough comes together in minutes and coiling and rolling these is so much fun. Not to mention ... dipping the hot, crispy, flaky pancakes in that umami sauce and eating them is the best part!
(My cookbook/book reading pile this weekend and all of next week - a beautiful new cookbook by Alexandra Daum all the way from Canada that I had the pleasure of reviewing and advanced copy last year are moody and autumnal and word-heavy which means - plenty to learn and absorb! From the top ...)
Gut - Giulia Enders
Saturday Night Pasta - Elizabeth Hewson
Gather - Gill Meller
In Good Company - Sophie Hanson
Slow Victories - Katrina Meynink
One, Pot, Pan, Planet - Anna Jones
Occasionally Eggs - Alexandra Daum
An interesting read on nutritional pyschiatry. A one-page article that talks about a lot of things you might already know - limit sugar, alcohol etc .. but what was interesting to learn was that 90% of the serotonin (that magical thing that boosts your mood and allows you to feel good and sleep better) is produced in your gut! It is eye-opening. Also, this quick list of serotonin-increasing foods.
Re-sharing this again because I get asked a lot about how I keep the kitchen clean and manage to cook so much food, discovering the Pomodoro technique has changed my life (when I follow it), here is a great list of 5 amazing techniques road-tested.
Jenna Coleman and Tahar Rahim / The Serpent on Netflix
I sometimes wonder how bloggers/authors/influencers who share massive list of favourites with all the podcasts they have listened to, all the shows/movies they have watched, all the books they have read, the exhibitions they have been to, their favourite articles from newpapers/magazines .. I wonder how in the world do they manage to have the time to do it all?
To be very honest, after I have worked and blogged and cooked all week, the most I can really manage is watching shows on various streaming services (Netflix is my favourite along with Amazon Prime). In fact, I forgo movies to watch shows as I often only have 30 minutes or so before I am so tired, I nod off at approximately 10:30pm. Besides scouring cookbooks, watching shows is my guilty pleasure. I watch these shows from a filmmaking perspective, observing the costumes, the hairstyles, the sets, the colours .. because everything sets a tone and makes a big difference to the storytelling. And when I find a good one, it makes me really happy.
I recently watched The Serpent on Netflix. Having grown up in India in the eighties, I had always heard of the famous killer Charles Sobhraj who managed to escape and allude the authorities for decades. I was very curious to find out more about the story. This show is brilliant, the actors are sensational and everything feels so real, you will be astonished to know that this wasn't actually shot in the seventies but in this day and age!
Another good show I watched was Mare Of Easttown. Kate Winslet is brilliant. I felt the show starts really well and progresses on the right path delving into the tragedies of the human psyche before becoming a bit confused with itself towards the end. Still a great show!
And with that, I sign off and wish you a good one! Until Next Weekend :)
COLA ESPRESSO MARTINI
Makes – 1
*
30ml (1oz) Espresso coffee
45ml (1.5oz) Vodka
15ml (0.5oz) Kahlua
30ml (1oz) Cola
Ice
Fresh pitted cherries
*
Add half a cup of ice to a cocktail shaker. Add espresso coffee, vodka and kahlua to the cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds until chilled.
Strain into a 160-250ml capacity martini glass or balloon tumbler. Top with a generous dash of Cola. Garnish with skewered fresh cherries.
I have limited copies of my cookbook Tasty Express - a labour of love filled with over 100 of our family's most tried and tested and exciting 30-minute recipes inspired by street foods of the world. Mostly Vegetarian recipes that go from breakfast to quick dinners in a heartbeat. They make great gifts for you or a friend!
