No garden ? Get sprouting
I am a sprouter, there is always something in a hemp bag hanging in my kitchen, if it sprouts I will eat it! (Believe me I have tried to sprout the maddest things). My all time favorite sprout is lentils, they have a great earthy flavour and the most pleasant aftertaste of anything, they just linger. Sprouting is like vegie gardening for those with low attention spans and a demand for instant results; it never ceases to amaze me that you can grow food from seed in 4 days without soil.
Snowpea tendrils and dirt(y) pure grain red nipper lentil sprouts with soy, tahini and lemon dressing
serves 4
1 tablespoon canola or rice bran oil
4 handfuls of snowpea tendrils and leaves
1 cup (80 g) lentil sprouts
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
Dressing
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
3 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon water
pinch of caster sugar
Mix together the dressing ingredients with a whisk, adding a little more water if needed to achieve the consistency of mayonnaise.
Preheat a large wok over high heat. Add the oil and swirl around the wok, then throw in the snowpea tendrils coat in the oil for a few seconds, using use tongs to twist them around the wok. Add a splash of water and toss once, then remove the wok from the heat. The whole process should take about 10 seconds.
To serve, place the snowpeas tendrils on a plate and top with the sprouts. Pour/spoon over the dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Eat local?
The issues surrounding food miles can be complex. I'm a believer in a rough appropriation of the so called 100 mile diet, give or take a few miles here and there. While not perfect, it is still a useful tool to apply when buying most produce because its still the simplest approach if you want to tick a few boxes without actually going through a crippling for and against ethics choice when shopping. So many regions in Australia have a great diversity and availability of product that it is actually feasable for alot of chefs in this country to keep their menus local.
I guess the real plus for me is that if you have any reservations surrounding other factors involved in the production of a local product you can just get on down to the farm gate and have a chat and a look for yourself. You just can't get that sort of first hand insight into the production of an imported product. For the general public, well there's our growing culture of farmers markets. If you have any issues or queries about animal welfare, landcare, water or what ever is your thing, you can ask the producer directly because they are usually standing right there behind their produce.
These kids get good produce ! Adelaide Showgrounds Farmers Market kids club
The kids at the Adelaide Showgrounds Farmers Market helped get the chooks and veggies for this recipe from the stall holders and joined in on the cook up, heres the recipe..
Free range chicken Egg Noodles
Serves two kids
30 ml peanut oil
Free range chicken thigh sliced
1 free range egg
2 cups Fresh Hokkien Egg Noodles
½ Punnet Cherry Tomatoes cut into halves
2 tablespoons light Soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Handful dry wild mushrooms
· Soak in 50 ml water, drain and reserve liquid for stir fry stock
· Squeeze mushrooms dry & chop into small pieces so kids don't know they are eating mushrooms
Cup Bean Sprouts
Handful Coriander leaves chopped
Method
Get everything nearby and ready, you have to work really quickly to wok this dish!!
Heat wok dry until very hot.
Add oil to wok.
Add chicken skin and crisp, add diced wild mushrooms
Break an egg into wok & let it the white set, pop yolk.
Add chicken and egg noodles followed by tomatoes.
Add sugar and reserved 60 ml of mushroom stock to steam noodles through, then Toss in bean sprouts and coriander.
Finally add soy, mix all ingredients and serve. Take care not to cook too long after adding soy as it will reduce and make the dish too salty.
