I Don't Eat, I Devour

Ratatouille is a simple, hearty, healthy one-pot wonder that can be comforting and home-style, or arranged into beautiful rosettes as seen in the Disney movie of the same name - just in case you're wondering, we're NOT going to attempt the rosette version today. We're going with the easy option here. Ingredients Ratatouille is extremely healthy: just look at all these vegetables it packs! For a large pot, you will need 4 large tomatoes  2 bell peppers (I used yellow simply because of the colour, feel free to use red or green) 1 aubergine / eggplant 1 onion  3 courgettes / zucchinis (I think I could have packed in 4, but I decided to only use 3 in the end) Handful finely chopped basil leaves Seasoning - salt & pepper 3 tbsp olive oil About 100ml - 200ml of water, depending on whether you want to end up with a vegetable broth or not.  Step 1 Step 1: chop everything. This is actually quite time consuming - took me 40 minutes! Then again, I'...

I recently discovered I'm not a horrendous cook as I previously thought, which is a delightful thing to discover about oneself. To celebrate, I will be sharing some of the recipes I have been trying. I love pancakes - but alas, the store bought mixture variety is not healthy. While they are great once in a while, sometimes you just want an energy-packed, yet guiltless breakfast. Introducing: the easy healthy pancakes. The Ingredients (minus some customisable toppings) To serve 1 normal sized person or 2 tiny people such as myself and my pal The RBG / children / not very hungry people you will need: 1 banana - the riper, the sweeter 1 cup oats (I used rolled, but quick will work equally well) 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup milk of your choice (I went with coconut milk because I save dairy for rare and special occasions, and coconut milk has the tropical flavour which I think works well with pancakes. I don't recommend using soy milk unless you love that distinct soy flavo...

Strap in ladies and gents, boys and girls because this second post in one day also features a level of professionalism and dedication unbeknownst to the food blogging industry: I forgot to photograph one entire course (remember how I forgot the name of a dish in my last post on Tim Ho Wan and couldn't for the life of me find it on the menu? Yep).  Today's adventure is in what I consider to be the only non-suspect-looking eatery around UNSW and a relative newcomer, Phoodle. The grandmama of Phoodle owner is the matriarch of the venerable Cabramatta Vietnamese chain Bau Truong, and according to Not Quite Nigella, she threatened to kill her grandson if he dared to change her pho soup recipe.  Nothing like a good death-threat to reassure me of the quality of the food. So let's start with the content of the threat, the pho (I was going to start with describing to you the dish I completely forgot to photograph but then I thought I'd leave the best for last).  Ho...

I have reviewed Tim Ho Wan once before on this blog - you can read about it right here: http://reasonablywednesbury.blogspot.com.au/2015/09/tim-ho-wan.html  Almost exactly one year on, I bring you 10 more dishes from the world's cheapest Michelin starred chain. The menu hasn't undergone much change over the past year. There is a rotation of 'specials' which are displayed on each table, but I do feel that Tim Ho Wan may be resting on its laurels just a tad. The food, as always, is delicious; but without change and variety it's hard to want to go back again and again - particularly when the menu isn't very big to begin with. Having said that, the fact that you can always count on it to deliver good food, the speed of service and cheery cheap price makes it a very viable destination for a casual quick bite with friends, family or colleagues (but make sure you go in multiples of 3s!) Pork Dumpling with Shrimp, $7.90 for 4 pcs  The word 'dumplings' ...

I have visited Haven many times, and I have returned not only satisfied, but impressed every single time. The secret is certainly out - on the weekend, you can expect to have to wait for a table, especially when it's lovely and sunny outside. Your culinary journey will start with activated charcoal water from Japan (the charcoal, not the water). Apparently charcoal detoxifies the body and purifies the water. The water does have slightly less of a metallic taste compared to water straight from the tap, but that could have just been my imagination.  It does, however, sets the tone for what kind of establishment Haven is: it walks the thin line between artisan and pretentious, but luckily the owner and the staff are so passionate about their specialty coffees and deliver coffees good enough to satisfy the snobbiest of coffee snobs that their attention to detail comes across extremely sincere. Charcoal water, complimentary Geisha Cold Brew, $9 This is one expensive coffee, ...

Mustang, unlike the car of the same spelling, is pronounced 'moo-stang' and refers to a district of Nepal known for its vast natural beauty, straddling the Himalayas. At Mustang Nepalese restaurant, the Nepalese head chef prepares traditional dishes which were so delightful I am geniunely surprised as to why Nepalese food is not as popular in Sydney as, say, Indian food. As a rule, when I try a new cuisine, I always like to order the banquet menu so that I get a taste of the most representative dishes. At Mustang, the set menu is called 'Kaja', and it's a filling three course meal consisting of a plate of different entrees, a few mains to share, and a dessert. Entree Plate Starting from the bottom and going clockwise, we first have 'aloo chop' - a golden globe of fried potato cake coated with chickpea flour and topped with mint sauce. It was soft, mild and moist in the middle, with the mind sauce adding a welcome tartness to this deep-fried item. U...

Dumplings usually conjure up images of a busy, bustling cheap-eats establishments with busy staff weaving between closely-packed tables - casual dining at its best. Lotus, however, brings traditional dumplings up a notch. Opposite the QVB and overlooking George Street (not that there's much to look at at the moment with the roadworks for the light rail), Lotus allows you to enjoy delicate dumplings in lovely surroundings - and of course, the price reflects the comfort. The menu, unlike traditional dumpling places, is quite short. Apart from a selection of 10 or so dumplings, you can also order more substantial dishes, including Hong Kong-style seafood extravaganzas. The dishes aren't that fusion, but the decor is decidedly Western-bistro, and there is also quite an impressive modern cocktail list. Steamed fresh scallop siu mai, $14 These gorgeous little parcels contain roughly chopped pieces of scallop. Unlike some places which only put a tiny bit of scallop into...