Banana cake with pecan streusel

It never fails to amaze me that when you mix equi-quantities of flour, fat/oil and sugar, bind it all together with a couple of eggs, then shove it into a hot oven, in less than an hour, it miraculously transforms into a tantalizingly scrumptious thing called cake.

Sure, various bakers and chefs have tinkered with the formula, adding in various flavours, fruits and nuts, concocted layers and textures and fillings, but at the end of the day, it’s still a cake. Cakes convey celebration, cakes are for friendship and a slice of cake says ‘Come, let’s have a yarn’. I always feel compelled to bake a cake when I have company.

I especially like cakes that use up bits of leftover ingredients like this recipe. The frozen bananas and egg whites which look forlorn every time I open the freezer. The recesses of Greek yoghurt in the container. 

The added surprise of the crunchy streusel topping makes this cake. It's moist and full of flavour, perfect for a leisurely tea break.

Urban Turban, CBD, Auckland

It is difficult to review this place. This is not a ‘could do better’ because I don’t think this place wants to be any different. It’s in a little niche, like all the other eateries at North Wharf; - they are here to feed tourists who are okay with the pricey food, young and friendly but slightly inattentive staff, trendy but sparse décor. Wynyard Quarter is the main attraction with the wharf atmosphere, little and big children's playspace and Silo Park. Fortunately, there is plenty to occupy you after a meal.

Mesclun, Orange and Avocado Salad with pomegranate vinaigrette

It was a one of those work nights, my mind had gone into park and I just wanted to curl up on a comfortable couch and eat something I would regret. I was hungry, and feeling more slothful than usual.

I am on a journey to eat more vegetarian meals this year, and learning to make the most of the unadulterated flavours of vegetables and fruits. I’ve reconciled to the fact that I’ll never be the carrot/celery stick munching person, cheerfully cycling to work. (Admittedly a cheerful commuter seems like an oxymoron). I’ll only avail myself to the lower half of the food pyramid if it hits all the right flavour notes.

I had a pomegranate and avocado in the fridge that were getting past their best by date, and found the recipe for the pomegranate vinaigrette online. This was surprising quick to throw together. The dish looks great (the colours!), and tastes even better. It is sweet, but balanced with the salty niblets of feta, creamy avocado and tang of the onion. It even keeps well overnight for the work lunchbox.

Seafood Festival, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland

This was my first visit to the annual event, which celebrates kai moana (seafood) and the people who catch it, gather it and process it for the rest of us to enjoy. The Seafood Festival was held over the three day Auckland Anniversary Weekend (28 - 30 Jan). I was nursing a summer cold, and just barely made it to the last day of the festival.

The elusive kina

Did you know up to 130 species are commercially fished in our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) areas? The $3B NZ seafood industry is evolving from fixed quota based wild capture (hoki, orange roughy, rock lobster, etc) to aquaculture species, which is heavily based on three species, - green-lipped mussels, pacific oysters and Chinook or King salmon. The aquaculture council has set itself the audacious target to grow the $380M industry to $1B by 2025, mainly through salmon and mussel expansion. Unfortunately the oyster industry is reeling from OsHV-1 virus decimating young stocks.

The NZ seafood industry is one of the most sustainable in the world, but faces huge challenges to grow; it seems that every resource consent application is mired in controversy. The government, along with the major players (Sealord, Sanford, Aoteroa Fisheries, Wakatu Inc.) is spending $52M over the next 6 years to develop precision wild harvesting and to 'domesticate' the mussel (i.e., commercially breed mussel spat). Other research is mainly based on aquaculture and developing bioactives from marine byproducts.

If you are interested in the state of the NZ seafood industry, the Ministry of Economic Development has a fascinating (maybe just me, but I was enthralled!) report on their website. Okay, enough industry info, I was here for the food!

Mussels everywhere

Seafood paella

Honeydew Sago

Chilled honeydew sago ‘soup’ is a popular Malaysian dessert. I don’t recall eating much honeydew fruit on its own, but I do remember eating this dessert at restaurants. Restaurants’ versions can be somewhat bland and watery; I prefer to make my own, where I can be (and am!) lavish with the amount of melon.

This truly is a simple recipe, I promise. Honeydew sago is best eaten chilled, so I make it about 4-6 hours before serving and leave it to cool in the fridge. I often double the recipe for dinner parties, as you can see from the pictures below.

Sweetcorn and zucchini fritters

Having a zucchini plant means you are never without a zucchini. Ever, All. Summer. Long. Which also means you have to find ways of hiding, uh, incorporating, zucchini into your meals. The saving grace is that zucchinis are pretty much tasteless, so they can be used to bulk up all manner of dishes.

This is my favourite way to eat zucchinis. It can be whipped up in minutes and tastes absolutely scrumptious.

Manuka Restaurant, Devonport, Auckland

I confess I rarely make it across the Harbour Bridge. The Transit Authority has put an obstacle course en route; my own mini Amazing Race just to reach the North Shore, (I can just hear Phil Keogh ‘Unfortunately, you are the last team to arrive, and I regret to tell you…..). With my genetic predisposition to getting lost, I can do without the added excitement of multiple lane changes, detours and unfamiliar suburb names. Northcote? Browns Bay? Where are these places?

Luckily, there is the ferry option. Lifesaver. I’ve taken visiting family and friends to the North Shore, but umm… via the sea route. I enjoy Devonport, it’s quaint, there’s just enough to spend a pleasant afternoon, and plenty of scenic paths to walk off your lunch.

Ever since I wandered into Manuka Restaurant by chance a year ago, this is the place I bring people to. I love the trendy rustic atmosphere, the staff is always amicable and helpful, there are things to occupy other people’s wild children and the food is pleasant. If I were to judge a place just by its food, this would be just a smidgen above average. My last meal wasn’t great (see below), but the overall package makes it a no-fuss place to bring people.

Dessert bar

Ais Kacang

There’s nothing more cooling on a hot, muggy Malaysian afternoon than a bowl of ais kacang (red bean ice dessert). Growing up in Kuching, it was a huge treat to head down the road to St Mike’s Café after a Saturday morning of school club activities, and order a 40 sen (equivalent to around NZD$0.16) bowl of ais kacang.

Ais kacang is a simple Malaysian dessert of sweet red beans, shaved ice, with gula Melaka (palm sugar) syrup, evaporated milk or santan (coconut milk) and topped with a splash of grenadine syrup. Ais batu campur (aka ABC, mixed ice dessert), which has a range of other ingredients included, is often erroneously called ais kacang.

You will need an ice shaver or a blender with a ice crusher function. I left out the grenadine syrup (available from liquor stores) as I try to stay away from synthetic colouring but the rose coloured syrup is customary.