The Essential Ingredients in Sri Lankan Cuisine (2024)

More and more people are looking for easy ways to eat healthier, and easy vegan recipes offer a simple and delicious solution.

From breakfast to dessert, we've got you covered with straightforward recipes that use basic ingredients and simple cooking techniques. Discover all the easy vegan recipes on Otao Kitchen!

Bush tucker is an important part of Australia's unique cuisine, with many ingredients found in the wild, such as bush fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs and vegetables. These ingredients are used to create fantastic dishes that are both delicious and nutritious. Bush tucker has been popular since ancient times, when Indigenous Australians collected the edible plants.

Bush tuckers have become increasingly popular in recent years, with many people incorporating them into their menus as part of modern Australian trends at home. The combination of traditional bush ingredients and contemporary cooking methods has created some truly amazing dishes.

Home cooks are experimenting with bush tucker ingredients to create unique flavour combinations, such as combining lemon myrtle with fish wrapped in leaves, or using saltbush in kangaroo. Bush tucker is also being used as a creative way to showcase Australia's native flavours and inspire new ways of thinking about food.

By putting Australian ingredients on the menu, you can add an exciting twist to your menu and give your guests an unforgettable dining experience. There are so many different plants and ingredients available that the possibilities are endless - from savoury entrées and desserts, to drinks and snacks. With careful consideration for sourcing sustainable products, you can ensure that each dish is filled with freshness, flavour, and a touch of Indigenous culture.

Bush tuckers can be a great way to add flavour and variety to any menu. By incorporating bush ingredients into their dishes, you can create unique flavour combinations that guests will love. By using bush tucker ingredients in creative ways, you can excite guests with a unique dining experience that showcases Australia's native flavours. Furthermore, by sourcing sustainable bush products responsibly and ethically, home cooks can ensure that they are creating nutritious, flavourful dishes without depleting natural resources.

Another great benefit of incorporating bush tuckers on the menu is that it allows you to connect with their local Indigenous culture. By honouring traditional cooking methods and recipes from Aboriginal Australia in their dishes, you can help preserve and celebrate these culinary customs for generations to come.

How can you keep the cost of meals down without compromising on taste when you’re on a budget? ie: adding herbs, marinating, cooking cheaper cuts for longer etc

[Dylan]Incorporating more vegetable-based proteins like legumes and wholegrains can add substance and bulk to your meals. Soaking and cooking dried legumes is cheaper and ultimately moretasty than using canned ones. It doesn't necessarily require more work, just a little bit more planning. You should soak legumes overnight to make them more digestible, and they'll cookmore evenly that way as well. Being open-minded and adaptable about trying new vegetables, and whole ingredients is key! Often, what's cheapest, and tastiest are what's in season.Tomatoes in July? Probably not.Get outside of your weekly supermarket excursion and explore some ethnic small businesses. You'll find a trove of new flavour-boosting ingredients on the cheap. If you're unfamiliar, justpush yourself to find one new ingredient each trip and find a couple ways to incorporate it into your cooking. Overtime, you'll build up a repertoire of familiarity with a whole range of new things.Don't be intimidated by trying something new and experimenting with it.

[Anan]Also, know what you are spending on and setup a simple system to monitor food costs - for example price comparison apps - e.g. smartcart, wiselist, furgl). Portion control is also another way to keep costs down, make sure portions aren’t to big and bulk with legumes and wholegrains.

What are your top five tips for getting the most out of fresh produce?

[Dylan]Storing your vegetables properly can give them extra life! Herbs can be wrapped in damp chux towels so they don't wilt, or if they have roots, lightly submerged in a cup of water. Mushroomsshould be wrapped in paper bags. To get the most out of my produce, I like to turn to centuries-old preservation methods: pickling, marinating in oil, fermenting and salting. Having a fewquick-pickle recipes or easy fermentations up your sleeve buys your vegetables a longer shelf life and often transforms them into something even more tasty. A small pile of pickles or kimchielevates an otherwise standard meat-and-two-veg situation.

[Anan]Shop Local. Separate, Separate, Separate (store and freeze small portions, they cook faster and avoid waste. Maintain your fridge - keep it clean and keep open spaces so the air circulates correctly.

What are some lesser known, or less common, food choices or options that are all-rounders and can be prepared in a variety of ways?

[Dylan]I love having a few varieties of dried mushrooms on hand. Porcini, dried shiitake especially. They rehydrate quickly and you can use the soaking liquid as a delicious and earthy stock whichgoes great with just about everything. Similarly, I always make sure to have a few umami-rich ingredients stocked in my pantry as reinforcements to any bland food that befalls me. A couplesundried tomatoes blended into a stew. A few sneaky dashes of fish sauce in your pasta, a spoon of miso in your barbecue sauce. Anchovies in your creamy salad dressing. These are mysecret weapons for flavour.

[Anan]Bones to make stock/soup.Bulgar wheat.Ham hock.Lamb shanks.Tinned fish

What are your top 5 ‘shopping on a budget’ tips?

[Dylan]Don't buy pre-made food. Don't buy spices from the supermarket, they're a fraction of the price at your nearest Indian purveyor and of far superior quality. Venture out to your local Asiansupermarket. Don't be intimidated by anything squiggly, or any plant matter that is unfamiliar to you. Learn to like organ meats- they're healthy and affordable, and you'll seem more culturedif you know how to cook, prepare and eat them.

[Anan]Buy seasonal. Make most of your meals with mainly vegetables. Plan your meals writing a weekly list and do meal prep for the week. Go to local markets rather than supermarkets.

Do you enjoy indulging in Asian cuisine? Have you ever thought about cooking it at home? With the right knowledge and tools, creating delicious Asian dishes at home is easy and affordable. In this blog post, we will share some simple tips that you can use to cook your favourite Asian meals right in the comfort of your own home.

Invest in the Right Cookware and Utensils

When it comes to cooking Asian cuisine, having the right cookware and utensils is key. Woks are a popular choice for cooking Asian dishes, as they distribute heat evenly and allow you to cook your food quickly. Non-stick frying pans are also useful for cooking stir-fries and other dishes. Investing in a good set of chopsticks, bamboo steamers, and a rice cooker can also make your cooking experience more enjoyable.

Stock Up on Essential Ingredients

Stocking up on essential ingredients is a must when cooking Asian cuisine at home. Some of the essential ingredients include soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. You should also have an array of spices and herbs such as ginger, garlic, chili flakes, and lemongrass. Keeping these ingredients in your pantry will allow you to whip up delicious Asian meals anytime.

Get Creative with Vegetables and Proteins

One of the best things about Asian cuisine is the variety of vegetables and proteins used in dishes. Don't be afraid to try new vegetables and proteins and experiment with different textures and flavors. Mushrooms, bok choy, eggplant, edamame, tofu, and shrimp are just a few examples of ingredients that you can use to create delicious meals.

Practice Stir-Frying

Stir-frying is a traditional Asian cooking technique that involves cooking food in a wok or frying pan over high heat. It's a great way to cook vegetables and proteins quickly while retaining their nutrients and flavors. To ensure your stir-fries are a success, cut your ingredients into small, evenly sized pieces and cook them in batches. This technique allows the food to cook evenly, without becoming mushy.

Experiment with Different Asian Cuisines

Lastly, don't be afraid to experiment with different Asian cuisines. There are so many delicious flavors to discover. Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean, and Chinese cuisines are just some of the many options available. Try different dishes and techniques, and find the ones that you enjoy the most.

Cooking Asian cuisine at home is much easier than you think. With the right cookware and utensils, essential ingredients, and a little creativity, you can prepare a variety of delicious Asian dishes from the comfort of your own kitchen. Give it a try, and you'll be surprised by how quickly you can become a pro.

Cooking has always been a part of our lives, whether it’s for an ordinary day or special occasions. It’s an activity that brings people together, and it’s a skill that can be useful in any part of the world, especially when traveling. One of the common challenges, however, is finding the right cuisine and learning how to cook it. Fortunately, Otao Kitchens has come up with an innovative solution that not only solves this problem but also provides opportunities for multicultural chefs. In this blog post, we’ll explore Otao Kitchens and the benefits it offers.

Otao Kitchen is a Melbourne-based business that allows foodies and visitors to learn how to cook various cuisines, including Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Dumpling, Greek, Korean, Indian, Spanish, and Mexican and more. Their instructors are professional chefs who grew up eating and cooking the cuisines they teach. Chef Anan, for example, has always been passionate about the way food brings people together, and his dream of cooking with her grandmothers inspired her to join Otao Kitchen.

One of the advantages of Otao Kitchen is its small class size, which provides a more intimate and personalised learning experience. The kitchen is clean and updated, making it feel like a leisurely afternoon spent with friends rather than a formal cooking class. The atmosphere reflects the culture of the cuisine being taught, and the students get to interact and learn from the chef throughout the cooking process.

Otao Kitchen’s initiative also supports multi-cultural cuisine and provides opportunities for talented chefs. The business gives chefs a chance to share their knowledge and passion for cooking, showcasing their cultural heritage and cuisine. In a way, Otao Kitchen allows them to do more than just sit in the kitchen and listen to stories of the old country. They get to interact with people from different parts of the world, share their culture, and learn from their students.

It’s no surprise that Otao Kitchen is popular among tourists visiting Melbourne. About 30 percent of the attendees are tourists, and Otao Kitchen’s multicultural cuisine and interactive classes make it an attractive option when exploring the city. It’s a great way to experience the culture and learn a new skill while traveling.

Conclusion:Otao Kitchen has made a significant impact in the cooking industry by providing a solution to multicultural cuisine and cooking problems. It offers a personalized and interactive learning experience, supports talented chefs, and showcases various cultures and cuisines. The business has definitely transformed the way people learn and experience cooking, and its success speaks for itself. If you’re looking for a fun and immersive way to learn how to cook delicious dishes, Otao Kitchen is definitely worth checking out.

We all know how important the right kitchen knifeset can be. But then comes the question of which set to get: Sharp Japanese steel that makes quick work of meal prep or a cheaper one? We have been using these items in our cooking school for the last few years.

To help you find the best kitchen knife set for your needs, we’ve turned to reviews from actual customers who have purchased and used these knives for themselves.

Kiwi Knife Asian Cleaver

When it comes to Asian household, everyone will have one of these. Cheap and Cheerful. The cleaver is mostly used to slice boneless meats, chop, slice. It is an excellent tool for smashing garlic and ginger and also use it to transfer food from cutting board to wok or frying pan. You can use for cut meat such as chicken, beef for making minced meats. It is multi-purpose kitchen knives. This Thai cleaver looks much like the butcher cleavers familiar in butcher shops in the west, but thinner. Made from high quality stainless steel. The blade is around 20 cm long, 28 cm height and 15 cm wood handle. Product of Thailand.

Buy On AmazonFr $33.92

Japanese Santoku Knife

Santoku means three virtues is a blade-style perfect for chopping, mincing and dicing vegetables. This 16.5 cm Wasabi Black is the handy knife you'll turn to again and again in your kitchen. This Wasabi line of knives is made in the traditional Japanese blade styling. To reduce food sticking, the blades are sharpened on a single side or sometimes being slotted. Although it has a traditional blade-style, it is paired with a uniquely modern handle material, polypropylene blended with bamboo powder, and impregnated with an agent for super clean food preparation.

Buy On AmazonFr $48.97

Cut Resistant Gloves

The cut resistant gloves let you handle your grater, knives, and mandolin slicer while worrying less about bandaging a finger or worse. Great for the kids too.
Made of food-safe ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, glass fibre and Spandex, these gloves have been designed to resist cuts from even the sharpest blades. We use these gloves for clients to make a salad so they don't cut themselves. Different Size.

NoCry Cut Resistant Gloves with Secure-Grip Microdots and Level 5 Cut Protection. Comfort-Fit. Food Grade, Size Medium. Includes Free eCookbook!" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; color: rgb(46, 145, 252);">Buy On AmazonFr $16.99

Whetstone

When your kitchen knives are being used during every service you'll need to revive the blade to keep it sharp.

Just a few minutes using the 400 grit side and you'll restore dull blades. A few more minutes on the 1000 grit side and that edge will be sharper than before.

Wet the whetstone's surface to float away from the swarf. The silicone base keeps the whetstone in place, so you can keep a consistent angle.

Buy On Amazonfrom $26.99

Gas vs Charcoal

The age-old debate over which grilling method is ‘better’ involves multiple variables, from flavour to cost and convenience. While no studies prove that either is healthier, gas does burn cleaner. From a taste perspective though, many people prefer the smokier, richer taste of food cooked on a charcoal grill.

Australians eat more chicken every year than any other meat or protein. It can be a nutritious and tasty choice, but raw chicken often contains nasty salmonella.If not handled properly, the bacteria could make someone really sick! Poultry is a product that deteriorates quickly, so it’s important to know when it is fresh or not. Here are some hints to find the freshest chicken and the best way to store it.

Buying Chicken

• When purchasing chicken, make sure there’s no ‘off’ smell. Fresh poultry should have very little, or no aroma.
• If buying a whole bird, ensure the skin, flesh and bones appear undamaged.
• Chicken breasts should be plump with a very pale pink flesh.
• Chicken thighs have a darker meat. They should have a dark pink flesh and a little white fat.
• Make sure to purchase from a reputable supplier who has been approved by local authorities.
• Check that the chicken is delivered at 5C or below.
• Confirm that frozen chicken products are completely frozen and inspect the packaging for any signs of thawing.
• Don’t accept any chicken that is soft, discoloured or sticky. Pay particular attention to the wings and joints.

Storage

To store chicken, leave it in its original packaging or place in a container and cover completely. Store on the bottom shelf (or the coldest part) of your the fridge for up to 2 days. This helps prevent contaminating any foods below. Cook any raw chicken within two days of purchase and freeze whatever you don’t use. Ensure to wrap your chicken in airtight packages. Label, date and keep refrigerated at 5C or below, or frozen at -15C or below.

If freezing fresh portions, do so immediately after purchasing (in its original packaging) for up to 2 months. Alternatively, separate the chicken into serving portions, thoroughly wrap in plastic bags or cling film and freeze for up to 2 months. It is very important to thaw chicken completely before cooking. To defrost, place the chicken in the fridge on a large plate (in its original packaging). This will take between 12-24 hours. Never refreeze chicken that has already been thawed. Cooked chicken can then be frozen for later use.

Commonly Used Cuts

Whole Bird

A whole chook can be used for roasting, poaching, making stock or dishes likeVietnamese Phoor Hainanese chicken rice.Alternatively, you can flatten or “butterfly” a chicken. This is a great way to roast or barbecue a whole bird, that promotes quick and even cooking. The secret to a delicious chicken is buying the best quality you can find, such as free-range, locally sourced or organic.

Breast & Tenderloin

Chicken breast is such a versatile cut of poultry. It’s a white meat with very little fat, perfect for throwing into stir-fries, grilling, steaming, pan-frying and oven roasting. They are also great for poaching to be used in salads, soups or sandwiches. Another method brilliant for cooking a chicken breast is crumbing. Not only do the breadcrumbs keep the chicken moist, but they also give a wonderful, crunchy texture (as seen in a chicken parma or katsu).

Chicken breasts found in the supermarket tend to be quite large with the tenderloin attached. This can make them difficult to cook through perfectly, without drying out. To ensure your chicken cooks evenly and remains juicy, you can slice the breast into even cuts oruse a rolling pin to slightly flatten it out. There’s nothing worse than eating a dried-out piece of chicken, so the key is to keep it moist without overcooking. Chicken is cooked through when a temperature probe reads 73C.

Tenderloins, found underneath the breast, are a delicious and speedy cooking option. They are slightly more tender than the whole breast and are great crumbed, fried, baked, or quickly marinated and chargrilled.

Thighs

Thighs can be bought as fillets (with or without skin) or cutlets with the bone attached. Chicken thigh meat is generally darker and has a little more fat than the breast. It’s a working muscle and therefore has more flavour comparatively. Diced chicken thighs are great for BBQ skewers, slow cooking, stir-frying or thrown into soups and curries. Use the whole thigh or cutlet for roasting, bakes, barbecues and stews.

Chicken Maryland is a cut where the thigh and drumstick are attached. Marylands are good for roasting, poaching, braising and baking. They are ideal for cooking slowly over a barbecue or char-grill.

Drumsticks & Wings

Chicken wings and drumsticks are typically cheaper per kilo but are often seen as the most flavourful. They are great baked, fried or simmered in a sticky glaze or marinade and eaten with your hands. The skin to meat ratio is greater in these cuts, so the outside gets nice and crispy, while the inside stays juicy. No matter what you do with this part of the chicken, it’s bound to taste good! It’s also really difficult to overcook wings and drumsticks, making for less stressful cooking.

Mince

Chicken mince can be used in making patties, rissoles, burgers, meatballs, or cooked in Chinese dishes like wontons and san choi bao, or in Thai stir-fry’s and salads. You can substitute chicken mince in almost any recipe where pork or beef mince is used.

Is there a difference between 'Dim Sim' and 'Dim Sum'?

A 'Dim Sim' is traditionally made with pork and cabbage wrapped in a delicate, pastry skin. It is lightly seasoned and delivers a delicious meaty crunch with each bite. 'Dim Sum' is an umbrella term and refers to a whole range of small dishes and parcels served at Yum Cha. Dim sum is a traditional Chinese meal made up of small plates of dumplings and other snack dishes and is usually accompanied by tea. Similar to the way that the Spanish eat tapas, the dishes are shared among family and friends. Typically, dim sum is consumed during brunch hours, late morning to early afternoon.

"How To Balance Flavour": The art of achieving flavor balance relies on training, intuition, and accumulated experience. The good news is that mastering this technique doesn't require attending culinary school!

Sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami are five taste elements that build our overall perception of flavour. When each part is perfectly balanced, our eating experiences are lifted above and beyond. Understanding how flavours become balanced starts with knowing the basic rules behind preparing each component. Remember that adding salt to a dish does more than just making it salty - it enhances or counteracts other flavours within the dish.

One popular spice mix is garam masala, a powdered blend that typically has five or more dried spices. These can include cardamom, black pepper, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Each culinary region (even household) has a distinctive garam masala blend and individual chefs will also have their own. This spice blend has so many uses.

Chaat Masala is sprinkled on top of Indian snacks for a real flavour kick!

One popular spice mix is garam masala, a powdered blend that typically has five or more dried spices. These can include cardamom, black pepper, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Each culinary region (even household) has a distinctive garam masala blend and individual chefs will also have their own. This spice blend has so many uses.

Chaat Masala is used in cooking and sprinkled on top of Indian snacks for a real flavour kick!

What's The Difference?

Generally, they refer to the same group of foods, but there are a few minor differences. The word ‘pulse’ describes crops harvested for their dry grains, such as lentils or chickpeas. Pulses are part of the legume family, but the name ‘pulse’ refers only to the dried inner seed. The term ‘legume’ includes those dry grains, as well as fresh peas, beans and crops such as soya beans and peanuts. Think of legumes as the plants whose fruit is enclosed in a pod. Variances between the two terms are small, so it’s easy to see how use them interchangeably. Legumes and pulses come in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours and can be consumed in many forms including whole or split, ground into flours or separated into fractions such as protein, fibre and starch.

Ghee

Ghee gives the rich and distinctive flavour to Indian foods. Ghee is made from clarified butter and has high burning point. You can make your own by adding a block of butter to a saucepan. Heat it up until it begins to look foamy. You’ll notice the milk solids will sink in the bottom of the pan. Drain the clear butter off the top and discard the remaining solids. You will need to pour the ghee through a cheese cloth (or clean chux) to strain. Store at room temperature for up to 3 months.

Soy Sauce

We can’t talk about Chinese cuisine without mentioning soy sauce! It is foundational to so many Chinese dishes we have grown to love. It’s also used across an array of other Asian countries who use it as a staple for cooking, dipping sauces, marinades and dressings.

Woks

If I had to choose one all-inclusive cooking tool, I would choose a wok. A wok is a traditional Asian pan used for cooking quickly at high temperatures. Typically, it gets used for stir-frying, boiling, braising, deep-frying and steaming. You can also do most of this with a regular pan or skillet, however a wok is thin and large, making it very heat efficient and easier to use when cooking Asian foods.

Each year millions of people get sick from foodborne illnesses which can cause you to feel like you have the flu. They can also cause serious health problems and affect the immune-compromised the most. Good personal hygiene can help prevent food poisoning. Bacteria that cause food poisoning can be on everyone, even healthy people. You can spread bacteria from yourself to the food if you touch your nose, mouth, hair or your clothes, and then onto food.

Follow these four steps to help keep you and your family safe.

What Is Blanching?

Blanchingis a cooking process in which food is immersed in boiling water (or sometimes oil) and removed after a brief time. It is then plunged into an iced water bath or positioned under cold running water. This term is known as ‘shocking’ or ‘refreshing’, which immediately stops the cooking process. Reasons to blanch vegetables might be to soften them, loosen the skin to make peeling easier, or simply to brighten the colour.

One popular spice mix is garam masala, a powdered blend that typically has five or more dried spices. These can include cardamom, black pepper, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Each culinary region (even household) has a distinctive garam masala blend and individual chefs will also have their own. This spice blend has so many uses.

Chaat Masala is used in cooking and sprinkled on top of Indian snacks for a real flavour kick!

Cooking Oils

• Coconut oil
• Vegetable oil
• Mustard oil

Peanut, sunflower, rice bran, grape seed or canola oil can be used in your kitchen as alternatives.

What Is Tofu?

Tofu is made from soybean milk; not from fuzzy green edamame pods but from mature, white soybeans. They are boiled, curdled, and pressed in a similar fashion to dairy cheese. The soybeans are soaked and ground with warm water and strained to become soy milk. This milk is combined with a coagulant (traditionallynigari) and simmered until curds and whey form. The curds are then placed into cloth-lined moulds and pressed until the whey drains out. The longer it's pressed, the more whey is released and the firmer the finished product will become.

Much of the food that exists in Korea today and the customs surrounding it have come from royal cuisine and the complex customs of the ancient court. The food is so well balanced, with careful consideration given to temperature, spiciness, colour and texture and presentation.

Starting with ritual bowls of rice and soup, the main meal is built around numerous shared dishes selected to complement each other. These multiple side dishes, known as banchan, traditionally accompany cooked short grain rice, noodles, vegetables and other dishes. The number of sides may vary from two to a dozen or even more! Everyday shared meals include at least a few accompaniments served all at once, rather than in courses. The abundant plates of food are cooked using a wide range of techniques including steaming, simmering, frying, stewing, fermenting and leaving some items raw.

Rice is a staple of the Korean household and forms the backbone of almost every meal, although it is sometimes replaced with noodles. Other common aromatics and spices seen in Korean cuisine include sesame and sesame oil, garlic, ginger and chilli pepper flakes. Korean food tends to be intensely flavoured, pungent and often really spicy.

All around the world, Japanese cuisine is appreciated, respected and most of all enjoyed.

When it comes to food, the Japanese are among the most passionate of any race. For many Japanese travelling to any region in Japan, food is often one of the main reasons for them to go. Many towns and cities in Japan are known for their local speciality, whether a type of sweet, noodle, seaweed or even tofu.

Japanese foods are well known for their excellence in preparation and presentation. Food is an art form and even the simplest dishes are often prepared by chefswho have trained and worked in the field for many years.

Korean Chilli Paste (Gochujang)

Gochujang is probably one of the most famous Korean condiments. This fermented red pepper paste is used in an array of dishes and adds colour and a huge flavour kick! It’s made from fine Korean chilli powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans and salt. While it’s known for being spicy, it also has subtle sweet notes. Keep in the fridge after opening and use within 3 months. The top of the paste may become darker or dry out, but it’s still edible.

Indian food is so incredibly varied and is well known for producing unbelievable flavour combinations. Some being tangy, spicy, creamy, rich, subtle, pungent, mild or hot and more! Some of us might associate Indian food as "curry", but the fact isit incorporates arange of dishes made up of different combinations of spices and herbs. It encompasses a broad category that contains a lot of different cultural and historical points. So, let's clarify what's going on with this whole myth of curry!

"Curry" is not a word in India. No Indian would ever really refer to an Indian dish with gravy or sauce as a "curry," because the word isn’t even in the language. Curry to most people is a rich, flavourful gravy which has vegetables or meat. British culture generically labelled the term used to describe anydish in Indian cuisine. Curry powder, which doesn’t exist in Indian cooking, is equally a part of that narrative.

There are a few specific dishes in India whose namessoundlike "curry." One is "Kadhi," and another is "Kari." Both of them are sauce like dish with a gravy. Allegedly the British did not grasp these were names for thosespecificdishes, assuming alldishes containing gravy were referred to as "curries." This created an entire new category of Indian cuisine. As a result, Westerners were introduced to the idea that all dishes with a sauce from India were referred to that way.

Indian cuisine reflects an 8,000-year history of various groups and cultures interacting with the subcontinent, leading to diversity of flavours and regional cuisines. Foreign invasions, trade relations and colonialism have played a role in introducing certain foods to the country. For instance, potatoes and cauliflower were brought to India by the British. The Portuguese introduced chillies and breadfruit. Indian cuisine has shaped the history of international relations; the spice trade between India and the rest of the world was paramount in shaping what we now eat today.

You alway wonder how much you need to by when you cater for a home party? The reason is whatever cut you get, you will loose some of the weight and volume of the meats when cooking them. Keep reading!

Meat and other animal proteins such as poultry and fish do shrink when you cook them. Here's are some tips and tricks for you to work out.

Australian food today is vibrant with many cultures around the world however the food culture of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders. We explore other cuisines but we can also learn about Aboriginal culture and cuisine so we can have deep understanding of Australian landscape and its indigenous food. And cook, share and celebrate our native ingredient experience.For the the first people of Australia, food isn’t just about nutrition, it’s a social activity that brings people together.

From Italian and Mexican to Vietnamese and Indian, there are so many different flavours that have made their way into contemporary Australian cuisine. But along the way, we have often forgotten our own indigenous flavours that take inspiration from our diverse landscapes, unique flora and fauna, and cultivates the notion of sharing food with others.For the indigenous inhabitants of Australia, food isn’t just about nutrition – it’s a social activity that brings people together.

By taking the time to learn more about Australia’s indigenous food culture, you’ll gain insight into the history of the first inhabitants of our beautiful country, the importance of the shared table, and how food can break down boundaries between people of different backgrounds. It will also be an eye-opening experience – suddenly, plants you see in your local area become sources of food.

The best way to learn about Aboriginal food culture is from our indigenous Australians for the knowledge of indigenous cuisine. We are believers that it can open doors and cultivate new-found respect and understanding for our land and the people who have lived off it for thousands of years.

Native cooking is designed for homecooks. Classes will demonstrate how easy it is to incorporate the sensational flavours of Australia’s native foods such as lemon myrtle, strawberry gum, mountain pepper and native mints into your dishes at home. You will learn how to create unique dishes using the aromatic plants as well.

One popular spice mix is garam masala, a powdered blend that typically has five or more dried spices. These can include cardamom, black pepper, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. Each culinary region (even household) has a distinctive garam masala blend and individual chefs will also have their own. This spice blend has so many uses.

Chaat Masala is must have inyour pantrysprinkled on top of Indian snacks for a real flavour kick!

Have you ever gone to the supermarket to pick up something and you ended up walking out with other things you think you'll need? If so, keep reading. Supermarkets and groceries have secrets to get us to buy items we weren’t planning to buy. Here are the secrets you should know before your next grocery trip.

#1 Spraying Produce with Water

Once fresh produce is picked, they begin to lose its natural moisture so fruits and vegetables dry out. Spraying water on fresh produce helps keep it hydrated so that it maintains moisture and letting it taste fresher for longer. Plump produce also looks fresh and you are more likely to buy food that looks good.

#2 Milk Fridge In The Back of the Store

Few people said that milk needs to be refrigerated otherwise it goes off so when deliveries are made at the back of grocery stores so having milk fridges there would be the best location. However, the real reason is that people come to the supermarket to buy milk, placing the milk fridge in the back forces visitors to walk through the entire store to find it. The result is that you end up seeing interesting products and likely you will buy more than you planned.

#3 Music Encourages You to Linger

Many supermarket play music with a rhythm that’s slower than the average heartbeat, which encourages you to move slower, making you spend more time in the supermarket.

#4 Supporting Local Causes

Supermarkets often have budgets laid out for supporting local causes. If the organisation is having a fundraiser, asking your local grocery store for a donation is a great place to start.

#5 Price at the Unit Pricing

When buying everyday items like rice or pasta sauce, it can be tempting to reach for the item that’s $4.50, instead of the one that’s $5.99. If you look closely at the price tag and you’ll notice the price per unit. Usually, it’s the smaller, lighter and cheaper bags that end up costing you more.

#6 Fresh Produce Entrance

Having flowers, fruits and vegetables be the first thing you see when you enter a grocery store, gives your brain the impression that you’re entering a place that’s natural and fresh. Supermarkets know that this zen entry is not only welcoming but it also makes you feel good about shopping at the store.

#7 Almost Expired Produce Used in Prepared Foods

Ever wondered where all that excess meats and produces goes once it's on its last legs? Many stores give it one last appeal in the prepared foods section - marinaded meats, cooked pies, prepared sausages and so on.

You might stress out of finding something to do on Valentine day? Going out or staying at home? For sure, you might find more romantic than going out to eat on Valentine’s Day and that is cooking for someone at home. Whether you cook together or create a culinary masterpiece to surprise your love, step out of your comfort zone and try your hand at these Asian recipes to really set the mood for love.

#1 Vietnamese Spring Rolls

It's really easy to make restaurant-quality spring rolls at home. This little spring rolls can be frozen and cook straight from frozen in the oven or better at home to shallow fry them!

Check out the recipehere

#2 Thai Glass Noodle

Glass noodle salad belonged to my favourites. Like in the majority of Thai salads, it is a great mix of flavours like spicy, sweet and sour. You can garnish with peanuts however in the class we may not provide peanut as someone might have an allergy.

Check out the recipehere

#3 Green Papaya Salad

If you visit Thailand on the streets of Bangkok, food vendors pound together this combination of green papaya, chillies, fish sauce and lime. Make this salad as tradition dictates with a large mortar and pestle to create the unique flavours of Thailand. MoreGreen CurryandRed CurryMaking as a base for your dishes.

Check out the recipehere

#4 Making dumplings

It's easy to prepare, budget-friendly and great-tasting, so what's not to love about dumplings! We've got chicken, pork, beef, vegetarian and more dumplings to make. You can use the ready-made wrapper.

Check out the recipehere

#5 Chinese Custard Tart

Egg tart made with Chinese puff pastry is one of the best Chinese desserts among the dim sum spread in Cantonese cuisine

Check out the recipehere

There’s no question this city loves a good Vietnamese bánh mì sandwich - a weekly staple, it’s on almost everyone’s list of failsafe, on-the-go lunch options.

Ever wanted to learn how to make your own at home? Join the good folks at OTAO kitchen for ahands-on workshop, where you’ll learn just how to create those crusty, French-inspired baguettes,and get the low-down on exactly how to whip up that tender, BBQ pork filling.

Making this beautiful salad for the summer.

• 200g chicken fillets
• 2 cup of (Chinese or Ordinary cabbage) finely shredded
• 1 carrots, peeled, cut into matchsticks
• 1 cup fresh Vietnamese mint, Thai Basil and Coriander
• 1/2 cup Vietnamese dressing (mix well 1/2 table spoon of fish sauce, 1/2 table spoon of rice vinegar, 1/4 limes and 1 table spoon of sugar, 2 table of hot water, 1 garlic clove -chopped and 1 small chilli chopped)
• 2 table spoons of roasted peanuts, chopped

1. Make dressing: Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, chilli and sugar together in a jug until sugar has dissolved.
2. Place chicken in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover. Simmer, turning once, for 5 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from pan. Chill. Shred.
3. Place cabbage, carrot, mint, coriander and chicken in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serve.

A Christmas lunch with all the trimmings can be a daunting prospect for many home cooks, sending them into panic mode leading up closer to the 25th December lunch for their family. The idea of working over a baking oven might be less than appealing for many, as Australia starts heat up during Summer sun and your thoughts of visiting a pool while refresher. Take the stress out of Christmas Day and opt to make fresher, healthier and simpler affairs. However you choose to celebrate, the most important aspect is spending time with family, loved ones and friends.

Here’s a few ideas on how to have a great Christmas Lunch.

• Selection of Seafood
• Vietnamese Summer Rolls
• Selection of BBQ skewers

• Cold Turkey Salad
• Thai Beef Salad
• Glazed Ham and Asian Apple Salad
• Japanese Cold Soba Noodle

• Mango and Sticky Rice
• Palova, Cream, Berries and Kiwi
• Summer Fruit With Coconut

Vinh Ky Restaurant

114 Victoria Street,Richmond

This is my friend's favourite restaurants serving similar Chinese fare on bustling Victoria street Richmond for many years. I always get the prawn wonton soup and it never fails to delight my tastebuds. It’s cheap and cheerful but the flavours are authentic and sensational.

Din Tai Fung

M002/4 Emporium Melbourne 287 Lonsdale Street

This is Taiwanese type of dumpling restaurant started in Taiwan in 1974 and now having restaurants cross different continents. Their Emporium venue got me with their spicy pork and prawn dumplings special delights in a ginger and Sichuan pepper sauce.

Hu Tong

14–16 Market Ln Melbourne

This Shanghai style soup dumplings, the xiao long bao or shao long bao, with their pork and soup filling deserve their best place on their menu. You will saddle up your spoon with ginger and black vinegar, nibble a hole and slurp away these yummy super hot xiao long bao.

ShanDong MaMa

Mid City Arcade, Shop 7200 Bourke St Melbourne

This city small restaurant is no secrete to many Melbourne favourite dumpling place. Here I go for the fish dumplings with mince of oily mackerel, ginger, coriander and chives.

If you've mastered classic French tarts to Australia Palova, perhaps it's time to add some new flavours into your dessert. From Vietnam to Japan and Thailand, traditional Asian desserts are as varied as the cultures and peoples from which they come. With the former, a diversity of Japanese and Japanese cultures has yielded a wealth of ingredients used in desserts such as mochi, glutinous rice, and red beans. In the canon of Thai desserts, find a complex array of confectionary building blocks that range from pandan to cassava root and coconut.

It would be overwhelming to try to master such a vast collection of cuisines, but we've rounded out some of our favourites to help you get a taste. From Thailand's khanom chan to a Vietnamese ca phe sua inspired ice cream and a Japanese mochi, here are some of the best Asian dessert recipes to try this weekend.

Freshly made rice paper rolls packed with prawn, rice noodles, carrots, cucumber and herbs, with a sweet chilli dipping sauce.

INGREDIENTS

For the dipping sauce

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 small red chilli, finely chopped, remove seed if want less spicy
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• juice 1 lime

For the rolls

• 100g vermicelli rice noodle or bean thread noodles
• 12 x 20cm rice papers
• 1 bunch of mint
• 18 cooked medium prawn cut in half lengthways
• 2-3 large iceberg lettuce leaves, torn into 12 pieces
• 1 medium carrot cut into thin batons
• a handful coriander
• a handful Thai basil
• a handful long chives
• 50g bean sprouts

METHODS

1. Make the dipping sauce by chopping the garlic, chilli together then stir in the fish sauce and lime juice.

2. Boil a pot of water and add the rice noodle and cook the noodle for 5-7 mins and then drain well. Please check the package for instruction first.

3. When you are ready to make the rolls, dip one of the rice papers in a bowl of hot water, moving it around until the whole wrapper is soft about 3 secs then drain on a tea towel or use one of mat to stop them sticking on the the surface.

4. Place a rice paper wrapper on a board and at one edge of the wrapper, add a few mint leaves, then 2 prawn halves.

5. Place some lettuce on top of the prawns, followed by some noodles, a few strips of carrot and cucumber, some more herbs and finally some beansprouts. Don’t overfill or they will be hard to roll.

6. Lift the edge of the rice paper wrapper nearest to you over the filling and, holding the filling in position with your fingers, start rolling up tightly.

7. When you’re about halfway, fold the ends of the rice paper in and over the filling so that it is completely enclosed.

8. Keep on rolling tightly until the whole rice paper wrapper is rolled up.

A special step in becoming a good home cook is to have a good set of kitchen knives and learn to sharpen your kitchen knives at your own home.

You might be curious to know what is included in a basic kitchen knife set. There are four styles of chef’s knives and how we would tell you to determine which kitchen chef’s knife is right for you. Because out of all of your kitchen knives, your kitchen chef’s knife will be your most used tool in your home.

Even though the market is filled with various styles of kitchen knives, it all comes down to finding a chef kitchen knife that fits your own hand – for it will bethe kitchen knife that will take your cooking to much higher levels.

If you are a home cook or a chef, it can be overwhelming knowing what to look for in a kitchen knife withshapes, handles, blades, knife set, sizes, steels and finishes. Choosing a kitchen knife is not as hard you might think, it just seems like it because of all the choices available. The cost and the fear of getting it wrong can be stressful but don't worry, we're here to help you figure it all out and get you a knife so sharp your onions will cry in fear.

Let's cover one the biggest fears first - a good knife can cost a lot of money and it's sometimes scary hovering over at the kitchen store or online. When you buy a kitchen knife in Australia, you're buying something you should be able to use for the rest of your life if you look after it. When a chef decides to buy knives they look for something to use daily and for his and his cooking career because they learn how they can look after their kitchen knives.

It's not the most efficient way to use your knife on a tomato, capsicum or eggplant. It's a great demonstration of the sharpness of kitchen knives. If your current knife can't manage this, it might be time for you to think about sharpen your kitchen knives or upgrade to something better.

We often get asked for a recommendation and we nearly always give the same answer if a customer doesn't have a specific style in mind or they're after a general use chef knife and that's to buy something from therange. They have it all - beauty, sharpness, a quality edge and hard wearing carbon steel and an excellent price tag.

If you're after a little more then we recommend heading to the homepage and browsing all our ranges where we've written about and reviewed each knife and and there's a good selection to choose from to cater to all tastes and budgets.

It's worth bearing in mind that because nearly all of the knives on the site are handmade in small forges by one or two blacksmiths and as such supply is not guaranteed and when a knife has sold out it can sometimes take months to restock.

If you're keen on a particular knife don't leave it too long to buy it because it might be gone and in the case of some ranges for several months or more.

Read more here as we will guide 7 steps for you how to choose the best kitchen knife for your home.

Banh Xeo is Vietnamese for ‘sizzling cake’ which is the delicious sound when pouring the pancake batter into a hot pan.

Banh Xeo is a favourite dish in Vietnam which is mostly enjoyed as a lunch or dinner meal. Banh Xeo has now become a popular dish in Australian Vietnamese Restaurants.

If you love Banh Xeo as much as we do, or even if you have never tried it before, this recipe is easy and fun to make yourself at home.

#2 Chef Ha's Handy Hint

How to store spices and how long they will last are most frequent questions being asked in our cooking classes.

Most of our spices are imported, shipped and shelved before we get them.Our recommendation is store them in a cool and dark place. So do not store above your stove as you might think of a perfectly access for your cooking. Heat, humidity and light will cause the spices loose their beautiful oil and flavour.

Be a great cook to use your spices within six months or 12 months. They will loose their flavour over the time but you still can use them.

Cevichis adish popular in the coastal countries such as The pacific and America. Nowadays, place like Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam also feature this dish. we made this dish for friends and they did enjoy the no fishy smell of fish in a salad. The recipes is made from fresh catch raw fish cured in lemon or lime and spicedchili peppers and coconut milk. Additional ingredients can be added are onions, salt, and herbs.

The fish is not cooked with heat so it must be made from trusted sources of 100% fresh fish. The fish shall be bought from reliable fish shop and chill at all time until eaten as raw fish carry highrisk of food poisoning.

Here on Paleo diet andGoogle Trend... but do you know?