These oysters are sure to put a smile on your face. The superb ponzu and ginger sauce takes them next level, and will keep you coming back for more.   

Serves 4 -6
Prep time 10
 
Ingredients
 
     8 tbsp ponzu sauce
     ½ spring onion, thinly sliced
     4 tsp grated ginger
     4 tsp mirin
     2 tsp toasted sesame oil
     ½ tsp salt
     24 fresh oysters, opened, cleaned and chilled on ice
     4 tbsp pickled ginger (optional)
 
Method
 
Combine the ponzu, spring onion, ginger, mirin, sesame oil and salt in a small bowl.
 
Serve oysters in the half shell and drizzle with the sauce. Garnish with a little pickled ginger.
 
Top tip
 
This dipping sauce is also great with dumplings and keeps in the fridge for up to a week, so prepare it early, adding the spring onions just before serving.

Super easy, super tasty soda bread makes a perfect side for nearly any dish - or just enjoy it on its own straight from the oven.

Serves 4
Prep time 10 min
Cook time 30 min approx 
 
Ingredients
 
     170g self-raising wholemeal flour
     170g plain flour
     ½ tsp salt
     ½ tsp baking soda
     290 ml buttermilk
     1/2 cup raisins (optional)
 
Method
 
Preheat the oven to 200C.
 
Tip the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl and stir.
Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk, and raisins (if using) mixing quickly with a large fork to form a soft dough. (Depending upon the absorbency of the flour, you may need to add a little milk if the dough seems too stiff but it should not be too wet or sticky.)
 
Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly.
 
Form into a round and flatten the dough slightly before placing on a lightly floured baking sheet. Cut a cross on the top and bake for about 30 minutes or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

For those special occasions when boiled carrots just won't do and you want a special side - something that will delight your diners and give them something new to try. Labna (or ladneh) is a yoghurt cheese, if you can't get your hands on some its easy to make at home. Basically it's just Greek yoghurt with a little salt, strained through a cheesecloth in the fridge for 24-48 hours. 

​Serves 2 or 4 as a side
Prep time 10 min
Cook time 20 min
 
Ingredients
     1 pack baby carrots, scrubbed and trimmed
     2 tbsp Olivado Avocado oil
     2 tsp fennel seeds
     2 tbsp sherry vinegar
     60 ml Olivado Organic extra-virgin olive oil
     ¼ cup each, parsley, mint and dill
     ½ Spanish onion, thinly sliced
     3 tbsp labna
 
Method
 
Preheat oven to 200C. Place carrots in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, and scatter with fennel seeds, season to taste and roast until carrots are tender and starting to caramelise (15-20 minutes). Remove from pan and cool to room temperature.
 
Deglaze pan with vinegar and add Olive oil, whisk to combine, season to taste and set aside.
 
Combine herbs and onion in a bowl, drizzle over a little dressing and toss to combine.
 
Place carrots onto a platter, spoon over labna, scatter over salad, drizzle with remaining dressing and serve.

Serves 4
Made in 40 minutes
Gluten free

Ingredients

     Paste
     3cm knob ginger, peeled
     3 cloves garlic, peeled
     2 green chillies, cut in half with seeds removed
     ½ tsp salt
 
     4 tomatoes
     1 onion, peeled and sliced
     1 tbsp butter
     1 tbsp ground cumin
     1 tbsp ground coriander
     ½ tsp turmeric
     2 Kaipara kumara -red, peeled and diced
     400g can coconut milk
     350g tarakihi, cut into 3cm pieces


Using a mortar and pestle, mash the 4 paste ingredients together to form a paste. Set the paste aside.

Blend the tomatoes and onion together in the bowl of a food processor until the mixture is smooth.

Heat the butter in a large fry pan and add the tomato mixture. Fry the mixture until most of the liquid has evaporated, then add the paste and cook until it is fragrant – about 3 minutes.

Add the spices, stir to combine and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the kumara and coconut milk. Reduce the heat and cook gently for 20 minutes, until the kumara is almost cooked. The sauce should thicken naturally.

​Add the fish to the curry sauce and cover the pan. Cook the fish until it is just beginning to flake. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and boiled rice. 

Serves 4
Prep & cook time: 45min
Gluten free

Ingredients
     1kg Kaipara kumara - red, gold, and orange
     1 red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
     1 red capsicum, thickly sliced
     3 tbsp Olivado olive oil
     2 tbsps lemon juice
     2 cloves garlic, crushed
     2 tsps ground cumin
     2 tsps ground paprika
     Salt and freshly ground black pepper
     2 tbsps chopped parsley

Feta & Lemon dressing
     3 tbsps Olivado olive oil
     2 tbsps lemon juice
     100g feta, crumbled
     Salt and freshly ground pepper

​Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius.
Line a large oven dish with baking paper.

Cut the kumara into wedges and place in a large bowl with the onion and capsicum. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, cumin and paprika - mix. Season to taste.

Bake the vegetables in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the vegetables are golden and tender. Set the vegetables aside to cool, then place them in a large bowl.
To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and feta in a bowl and season to taste. Drizzle the dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to combine.
Sprinkle with the chopped parsley.

Serves 4
Prep time 10
Cook time 15
 
Ingredients
     2 tbsp Olivado Liquid Coconut Oil
     300g chicken thighs, sliced
     3 shallots, finely diced
     2 cloves of garlic, diced
     3 cups cooked white rice, cooled
     2 tbsp kecap manis
     1 cup cabbage, finely sliced
     1 cup cooked prawns
     4 eggs, fried
 
To garnish (optional)
Sliced spring onions, fried shallots and peanuts to serve
 
Nasi Goreng paste
     2 tbsp Olivado Coconut Oil
     4 cloves of garlic
     2 shallots
     20g roasted peanuts
     4 red chillies or to taste
     1/2 tbsp tamarind pulp
     1/2 tsp shrimp paste (optional)
 
Method
 
Slowly combine all paste ingredients in your blender and pulse until smooth (a paste is formed). 
 
Add 1 tablespoon of the oil to a frying pan and heat to medium. When the pan is hot, add the chicken and cook until golden on both side.
 
Add the shallots and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant and softened.
 
Add the rice, being careful to break up any lumps, then the kecap manis and combine. Add the paste and stir-fry for a minute.
 
Add the cabbage and gently combine, cook until the cabbage has softened.
 
Add the prawns and combine. Meanwhile fry the eggs in remaining oil.
 
To serve place in a bowl topped with a fried egg, sliced spring onion, crispy fried shallots and peanuts.
 

Prep time 10 min
Cook time 1 hour
Serves 4
 
Ingredients
     400ml cream
     45g maple syrup
     1 tsp vanilla extract
     5 egg yolks
     50g demerara sugar
 
Method
Preheat the oven to 140 degrees Celsius.

Pour the cream, maple syrup and vanilla into a saucepan and gently bring to a simmer.
Whisk the egg yolks and 2 tsp of the sugar together until light and creamy. Pour a little of the cream mix into the eggs and combine using a spatula. Add half the remaining cream and combine, then mix in the remaining cream.

Strain into ramekins using a sieve. Pour hot water into a roasting tray so it will come about halfway up the ramekins. Place the ramekins in the hot water bath, cover the tray with tinfoil and bake for around 30 minutes or until the custard is just set. Remove and cool.
Sprinkle the remaining sugar over and use a blowtorch to heat the top of the custard until the sugar begins to caramelise.
 
Top tip:
If you don’t have a blowtorch at home, place your custards under a hot grill to caramelise the topping. Just watch them carefully.

Serves 4
Prep time 2 h (including marinating time)
Cook time 15 min

​I love this dish; it has a little bit of everything. Anything with South East Asian flair, loads of fresh herbs, a fantastic dressing and some spicy meat has got to be a winner. Bun cha, as the Vietnamese call it, is a great dish to take on picnics as the meatballs are just as good cold. Pack everything in separate containers and and you are ready to go.

Ingredients

Meatballs
     2 tbsp sugar
     5 tbsp water
     500g ground pork
     ½ red onion, finely diced
     3 tbsp fish sauce
     1 hot red chilli, finely diced (optional)
     1⁄4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
 
Noodle Salad
     2 tbsp fish sauce
     2 tbsp rice vinegar
     1 tsp brown sugar
     1 1⁄2 cups water
     1⁄2 tsp. minced or grated garlic
     1 red Thai chilli, minced
     ½ green papaya or green apple or green mango, cut into matchsticks
     350g thin rice noodles, cooked as directed
     1⁄2 head red leaf lettuce, torn into small pieces
     2 good handfuls of coriander, mint, Vietnamese mint, Thai basil
     1 green mango, grated

Method
Combine the sugar with 3 tablespoons of the water in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Cook until a dark brown caramel forms, about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the remaining water, swirling the pan. If the sugar clumps a bit just swirl the pan and it will melt again. Cool a little.
 
In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork, red onion, fish sauce, caramel sauce, chilli, if using, and pepper. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1½ hours.
 
To make the dressing, simply combine the fish sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, water, garlic, chilli and green papaya, apple or mango in a large mixing bowl. Set aside to let the flavours infuse.
 
Remove the pork from the fridge and shape into small balls, 20 in all. Heat your grill to high. Brush the meatballs with a touch of peanut oil then grill or barbecue until fully cooked and slightly charred, 4 minutes each side.
 
Divide the noodles among 4 bowls and spoon over some of the dressing. Place the meatballs to one side. Place the lettuce, herbs and mango to another side and serve with extra dressing on the side.
 

Prep time 15 mins
Cook time 1 hour
Serves 6

This recipe is from Japan – my sister-in law Chie’s family recipe. Chie cooked it for me once in Osaka and it was fantastic; hearty Japanese comfort food. It’s best eaten the following day, served warm or cold to allow the potatoes to absorb the soup. I like to use a cheaper cut of beef and cook until it is tender. The soy adds real depth of flavour and the peas a little pop of sweetness.

Ingredients
     1 tbsp oil
     2 large onions, diced
     1kg stewing steak or lamb, cut into 3cm dice
     4 large potatoes, thickly diced
     3 carrots, thickly diced
     6 tbsp sake
     3 tbsp mirin (sweet sake)
     6 cups water
     5 tbsp sugar (or to taste)
     130ml soy sauce
     2 cups peas

Method
 
Heat a large saucepan on a medium-high heat and add the oil. When hot add the onions and cook until they are just beginning to colour. Add the meat in batches and brown. When browned, add the potatoes and carrots and combine.

Now add both sakes and the water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Remove any scum that comes to the surface.
Add the sugar and soy sauce, cover and reduce the liquid by two-thirds. Add the peas and turn off the heat, cover and stand for at least 3 minutes.

Top tip: For a vegetarian option, replace the beef with whatever vegetables you fancy and use kelp stock. 
 

Serves 6
Prep time 20
Cook time 4 hours + resting

This lamb is tender, so tender you can pull it apart with a couple of spoons. It’s the highlight of any Indian feast, and best eaten with Bombay potatoes, cauliflower and potato curry, naan and some dhal. This recipe is dedicated to a great old mate of mine. Arun it was you and your family who got me into spicy food, so it is only fair that I give back a little something . . . miss you, bro.
 
Ingredients
     1.8–2 kg lamb shoulder
     2 tbsp olive oil
     2 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
     2 tsp chilli powder or to taste
     2 tsp ground turmeric
     2 tsp garam masala
     3–6 green chillies, pounded into a paste
     4 cm knob of ginger, pounded into a paste
     5 whole cloves
     2 cinnamon sticks
     1 bulb garlic, unpeeled and sliced in half
     salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
 
Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 200ºC.
2. Place the lamb in a roasting tray. Make a few cuts into the fat side of the lamb with a knife and rub the oil all over the meat.
3. Place the coriander seeds, chilli powder, turmeric, masala, chillies and ginger in a small bowl and combine.
4. Add the cloves, cinnamon sticks and garlic to the roasting tray, rub the lamb all over with the spice mix and season with salt and pepper. Add ½ cup water to the roasting tray then cover the tray with tinfoil and place in the oven.
5. Turn the oven down to 170°C and cook for 4 hours. The smell will be amazing and the lamb will fall apart.
6. Remove the lamb from the oven and discard the cloves and whole cinnamon sticks. Place on a chopping board, cover with tinfoil, then a tea towel, and leave to rest for 10 minutes before pulling it apart with two forks.