All Good Things Issue 9

Fresh Ricotta + Virgin Matcha Margarita + Vegan Strawberry Milkshake + Possums & Parrots

Jul 18, 2021

ISSUE 9 / JULY 18, 2021

Good Morning ...

Our lockdown in Sydney has not only been extended by has gotten more restrictive. I suppose it doesn't affect us as we haven't left home in almost 4 weeks. I just feel grateful that there are so many people who are working hard to make life in lockdown easier for the rest of us. I also feel grateful that we are able to buy pretty much anything online and have it home delivered, especially food. My rolling online orders means I have boxes of groceries everywhere (due to the insane amount of produce I have to source for work!). But it has also helped me be more resourceful and creative. Last night I made a batch of fresh creamy ricotta with 4 liters of milk that was about to turn today. And all of this week, I shall be testing glorious ricotta recipes (cakes/pasta/dips) for your cooking pleasure.

To MAKE RICOTTA - Bring 2 liters of full cream milk and a teaspoon of sea salt flakes to a gentle boil on medium-low temperature, stirring to ensure it doesn't stick and burn in the heavy-bottomed saucepan (approx 10 minutes). Reduce heat to low and add 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Mix well. The milk will start to curdle and separate. Cook for 2 more minutes then remove from heat, cover and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Pour in a nut bag-lined sieve placed over a bowl. Cover and let it drain overnight. Voila! Fresh ricotta next morning.

It hailed two days ago. In the middle of the day. Quite suddenly. And after the storm passed ten minutes later, the wind was icy and it felt like we were at the mountains in the snow and I was being used as target practice for snowballs by my entire family (who thought it was hilarious at the time!). I thought I'll share a couple of pictures from the last time we were at the snow in 2018. I miss that terribly, but the polar blast almost feels like I am back there ... almost! But the hailstorm brought some much-needed lockdown excitement. We found a wet possum drying himself in the cubby house (probably fell off the tree!). It then climbed on top of the aviary and our chickens went nuts! Eventually, it climbed up the tree it lives in. Meanwhile, the chickens found the gate had blown open due to the wind and escaped into our garden and climbed into our weedy vegetable patches and had themselves a weed salad.

The parrots are still visiting the Camellias and they are more breathtaking to look at every time. With the weather so cold, I am batch cooking different types of soups. Now every time I open the fridge, it is like a vending machine of delicious hot soups in jars. I am loving the choice I have for lunch every day!

VEGAN STRAWBERRY MILKSHAKE

When I was little, a soft pink strawberry ice cream made with fresh juicy strawberries that you could still see speckled through the creamy ice cream was one of my favourite flavours at the ice cream parlour! Candy pink, with that sweet smell of strawberries. Yum! This Vegan Milkshake is all that but has the added goodness of nuts and the lightness of non-dairy milk. A great way to use up the end of season strawberries that aren't the best but so utterly delicious ... PLUS the brands of almond and soy milk I prefer ...

CLICK FOR RECIPE »

******

GREEN KIWI BOMB SMOOTHIE

This mildly savoury green smoothie is not only delicious but packed with so much goodness that will fill you up with skin-loving, energizing, refreshing nourishment! My Green Kiwi Bomb Smoothie is made with generous amounts of spinach, avocado and of course lots of kiwi fruit.

I love creating smoothie recipes that taste delicious and are packed with nutrients. I especially love putting together green smoothies, like this Green Tropical Pineapple Smoothie (which is a huge hit amongst my readers!). The internet is full of green smoothies that have green apple or pears in them. There is nothing wrong with that, I love both those fruits. But I feel that they add a lot of sugar to a green smoothie thereby defeating the purpose of the smoothie – which is to be light, cleansing and refreshing. Apples and pears also add a mealy texture to the smoothie causing it to split easily.

Avocados are not only green and full of heart-healthy monosaturated fats but they also have more potassium than bananas making them the ideal base for a green smoothie. And they make a green smoothie exponentially creamy and luscious. Kiwi fruit is a Vitamin C powerhouse containing ....

CLICK FOR RECIPE »

The Sunday Project

Have you ever heard of Shrikhand? It is an Indian dessert consisting of very thick yoghurt that has been drained of all liquid (like labneh) and sweetened with honey, nuts and fruit. It is absolutely delicious and quite easy to make. In the posts below I share the technique to make "hung yoghurt/drained yoghurt" and how to use that to create delicious flavoured yoghurt desserts.

HOW TO MAKE HUNG YOGHURT
SWEET STRAWBERRY LABNEH BOWL
HONEY NUT SHRIKHAND

On my Cooking Wishlist this week

This General Tso's Cauliflower. Yum!

This M ushroom All'amatriciana

These Brown Rice & Tofu Teriyaki Balls.

I really really want to try these Accordion Potatoes! And these BBQ Jackfruit & Sweet Potato Sausage Rolls! And how good does this Broccoli Goat's Cheese Frittata look?

These beautifully glossy Honey Butter Potato Rolls

This Easy Old Fashioned Apple Crumble

This week my cookbook/book reading pile is vegetarian/vegan heavy with a big serving of the grouped cookbooks hailing from Australia. I am exploring Asian flavours and lots of small things to make and master like sauces, condiments and cafe-style dishes. (from top to bottom)

Vegan JapanEasy - Tim Anderson
The New Vegetarian - Alice Hart
Indian Kitchen - Maunika Gowardhan
To Asia, With Love - Hetty McKinnon
The Village - Matt & Lentil Purbrick
Cornersmith - Alex Elliott-Howery, James Grant
The Broadsheet Sydney Cookbook

Resident Alien (source - IMDB)

This week we continue watching Ted Lasso (the story of an American football coach who travels to UK to take on a struggling football team in their top league and a delightfully refreshing central character devoid of snark and sarcasm, something we all need right now!) and R esident Alien (the story of an alien named Harry that crash lands on earth, takes on the identity of a Colorado doctor and starts becoming more human than he expected. Alan Tudyk's body language is not only hilarious but his Alien thoughts are too funny) are both good fun!

When I was 18 and studying engineering in India, I would often hang out in old bookshops. That is when my cookbook collection actually began (yes, I have lugged my precious cookbooks from India to Singapore and then to Sydney!). Belinda Jefferey's cookbooks were very coveted and I would literally pounce on one if I came across it. Decades later, I feel incredibly grateful to have connected with Belinda herself via social media. She is an incredible person and a phenomenal cook/chef and her words and stories in her Sunday post shine ever so warmly. And her new cookbook which will be out soon is literally called A Year Of Sundays! Make sure you are following Belinda on Instagram!

I often get asked for my favourite Indian cooks/bloggers/authors. I LOVE cookbook author Maunika Gowardhan, her recipes are beautiful and packed with all the right flavours. If you are after some new Indian recipes to try out in the kitchen Richa's blog My Food Story is a good place for simple, authentic recipes that work every single time.

A little bit of Nordic escapism in Hannes Mauritzson's Instagram account. And Krautkropf's beautiful food garden.

I recently bought more than 20 spice blends from Gewurzhaus. Just incredible!

And with that, I sign off and wish you a good one! Until Next Weekend :)

VIRGIN MATCHA MARGARITA

Makes – 1
*
60ml freshly squeezed orange juice⠀
30ml freshly squeezed lime juice⠀
30ml pineapple juice⠀
2 teaspoons maple syrup⠀
½ teaspoon matcha⠀
60ml sparkling water⠀
Salt to rim the glass⠀
Lime wedge to serve⠀
*
Place ½ cup ice cubes in a cocktail shaker. Add orange juice, lime juice, pineapple juice, maple syrup and matcha. Shake vigorously for a few seconds until thoroughly combined.⠀
⠀
Scatter sea salt flakes in a small shallow bowl. Run a lime wedge around the rim of a 355ml tumbler. Roll the rim in the salt. Add ½ cup of crushed ice to the glass.⠀ ⠀

Strain the virgin margarita mix into the glass over the ice. Top with sparkling water. Add a lime wedge. Enjoy.⠀

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!

Buy Signed Copy (Australia)

Cook Republic

Discussion about this post