Due to popular demand, and the very real desire to keep connected with you, my friends and family during this time, I have decided to continue to write my blog for the next couple of weeks.

As you probably all realise, Dave and I are in compulsory self-isolation, having returned from Thailand yesterday.

There are good things about this and bad things about this. As I blog over the next fortnight, I’ll share with you what falls into which category. For now I am being super positive. Time to spend with Dave and Darryl (the dog) is definitely a plus. Not being able to see Will and Emma, who live only a kilometre or two away is, of course a downside.

But having time to cook, albeit only using ingredients that I have access to in the house, is an upside worth celebrating. There’s not a lot I like more than spreading myself out in the kitchen and throwing things together to make a meal. Or two. Or three.

It has been well over 10 years since I worked full-time as a chef, but to be honest, once it’s in your blood, you are always a chef, of some description. Most days don’t go by where I’m not cooking something, either for myself, for Dave (when he’s in Wagga) for the kids or even for other family and friends. Sharing food is my way of telling people I love them, and making something that others will enjoy gives me a great sense of satisfaction and joy.

Today, I’m a bit weary, which is no surprise. Thailand is only four hours behind AEST, so it’s more a simple lack of sleep then actual jetlag. On Wednesday morning we woke at 2am and decided to call Qantas. By 4am we were re-booked and organised and by 8am we were packed and ready to go. We arrived in Hua Hin before 11am and were at the airport in Bangkok by early afternoon. We left Bangkok at 6pm and arrived in Sydney at 7:30am on Thursday morning, having had just a few hours broken (and sitting up) sleep between then. By the time we transferred to the domestic terminal and showered, ate and waited patiently before boarding our delayed plane to Wagga, it was nearly 30 hours since we had been asleep. We only stayed up till about 8pm last night… my favourite pillow was just looking too inviting not to! When my phone rang at 8:30 this morning, I was not ready to get up. Dave was still in a deep sleep (not a lot waked him), and while my sleep was broken, as usual, that’s the longest I’ve been in bed for quite some time.

Even though I had all the time in the world, and a reasonable food stash to make breakfast with, it was simple Weetbix for breakfast. When you are away from home for a while, it’s usually the simple things you miss the most – and Weetbix was right up there for both of us.

On Wednesday I ordered an online delivery of fruit and vegetables from Arnolds – a family run grocer in Wodonga who mostly sources local produce. There were two large boxes waiting on our front doorstep when we got home. As well as a large box of mixed fruit, including peaches, nectarines, apples, bananas, pears and a watermelon, we also got a loaf of bread, a huge pumpkin, 2 eggplant, onions, eggs, Smiths chips (whoops – 4 large packets 😉 ), local pasta sauce x 4, spiral pasta (only one in stock), 2 x avocados and some fresh herbs. It was all beautiful and fresh and as we were unpacking, I was already designing recipes in my head. If any of you doubt my obsession with food, you may not when this fortnight is finished!

 

So during today, apart from a meeting or two to get up to speed and ready for work next week, I cooked.

I made a pumpkin, eggplant and lentil curry (recipe below) spicy pumpkin soup, home made hot chips, then a mixed grill for dinner. Dave was craving some ‘Aussie food’ and a mixed grill seemed ideal. Especially since Karl had picked up a meat order from Blake Street Meats that I phoned through to Grant the butcher this morning. I now have lots of meat, no shortage of fruit and vegetables plus a pantry which, while not full, has a range of staples I think will keep us going for the next two weeks. We probably won’t need any more shopping, but thanks to those who have offered for us.

The mixed grill was pretty bloody good, even if I do say so myself. Half an amazingly tender sirloin each, a sausage, a home-made rissole and a lamb loin chop. I forgot to order bacon, and we have been overdoing the eggs a bit lately, so just served it simply with gravy, peas and the freshly made crispy hot chips.

Tomorrow I’ll share my hot chips ‘secrets’, but for now here’s the pumpkin curry recipe. I went with a Thai-style curry – and even though I am a bit sick of Thai food (!!), I needed to go with what was on hand – and Thai Red curry paste was! I’ll be enjoying it for lunch tomorrow. Thankfully there’s some jasmine rice in my cupboard, so the only thing really missing is coriander to garnish.

Recipe: Red Thai Curry Pumpkin with Eggplant and Lentils

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon oil (coconut or vegetable or whatever you have!)
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 5 cm piece of ginger, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 small red chili (seeds removed and thinly sliced)
• 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
• 1kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cubed
• 1 large tin coconut milk
• Same amount vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar (or maple syrup or other sugar to taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon salt flakes
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 cup diced eggplant (same size as pumpkin)
• ½ cup cooked lentils (cooked till just tender)
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ½ cup roasted cashews

METHOD

• Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add oil, onion, ginger, garlic and chili. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add curry paste and stir. Cook for 2 minutes more.
• Add pumpkin and stir again and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
• Add coconut milk, stock, sugar, turmeric, salt, soy sauce and fish sauce and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Once simmering, reduce heat to very low and cover.
• Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pumpkin is just soft.
• Taste and adjust the flavour of the sauce as needed by adding more sugar, salt or fish sauce if required.
• Once the pumpkin is almost tender, add the eggplant, lentils, lemon juice and cashews and cover.
• Simmer for a few minutes more over medium-low heat until the eggplant is cooked.
• Serve on rice, with coriander leaves, if you have any!

Of course this recipe can be substituted or added to. For example, add chicken if you like, substitute with sweet potato, add green vegetables. Whatever takes your fancy – and you happen to have in your house!

I need to work on my photography, but here’s the finished curry. It tastes much better than it looks! I’ll take another one tomorrow when I serve it 😉

And the pumpkin soup in production: