The Cooking Naturopath

25/06/2025

Who else does a little dance when the first fennel bulbs appear for the season? Surely I am not the only one.

Insalata di Fi*****io col Peperone Rosso e le Olive Nere

24/05/2025

What’s in your fridge today?
After last weekend’s Sri Lankan cooking class, I had a bench full of leftovers curry, rice, sambal and more. Too good to waste, but also too good to repeat. So I did what I always do: turned them into something new.

Samosas stuffed with spiced potato and chicken curry. Nasi goreng cooked with garlic and a fermented chilli sambal. Caramelised tomato soaked onions on ricotta toast.

Read the full post in this week’s Spice Chronicles via the Linktree in my bio.

How I turned a Sri Lankan feast into sambal samosas, nasi goreng and breakfast on sourdough with a zero waste philosophy

09/04/2025

Celery, reconsidered.
Marcella Hazan’s braised and gratineed celery with Parmesan surprised me in the best way — elegant, layered, and quietly comforting. If you’ve only ever used celery in a soffritto or as a crunchy snack, this recipe may shift your view entirely.

For the full recipe go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

Exploring Marcella Hazan’s layered, comforting dish of braised celery with pancetta and Parmesan

08/04/2025

This week on Spice Chronicles I’m sharing a tropical trio built around a single pot of Balinese Bumbu broth, silken tofu, wok-steamed mussels, and a green papaya salad with a dressing made from pickled carrot brine.

The broth travels from dish to dish, deepening as it goes. Nothing wasted, everything connected. And for dessert? A grape and labneh cake made with the black grape conserve from last week’s brownies.

This is the kind of cooking I love, rooted, rhythmic, and just a little bit improvised.

For the full post, go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

Silken tofu, wok-steamed mussels, and green papaya salad, all woven from a single spiced broth

06/04/2025

Who knew raw mushrooms could be this elegant? 🍄
Marcella Hazan’s Insalata di Funghi e Formaggio began as a modest salad of mushrooms and Swiss cheese—and evolved into a luxurious plate dressed with Parmigiano, celery, and white truffle. I cooked the original Knopf version yesterday and served it with melon and prosciutto. It was an exquisite surprise.
For the full story (and the recipe, with optional extras), follow the link in bio.

Mushroom and Cheese Salad

06/04/2025

Breakfast, but not as you know it.
Leftover bumbu tofu folded into eggs, gently scrambled, sliced, and wrapped in rice paper with crisp lettuce, coriander, chilli, and pickles.

High in protein, rich in phytoestrogens, and completely gluten-free.
A delicious way to start the day, and a reminder that breakfast doesn’t have to look like toast.

For the full story, go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

Scrambled tofu rice paper rolls

03/04/2025

Two dips from one base.
A slow-cooked caramelised onion dip becomes something new, folded with sweet peas, spiced sausage, toasted hazelnuts, and finished with fig balsamic glaze.

It’s simple, nourishing, and full of umami. And if you’re thinking about lunch tomorrow, there’s a whole Leftovers & Lunch Box section with ideas for turning this dip into the kind of packed lunch that feels like a reward.

For the full recipe go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

A slow-cooked onion dip meets its vibrant match with peas, spiced pork, and hazelnuts—two unique dips from one beautifully versatile recipe.

02/04/2025

🔥 New Class Alert – Sri Lankan Cooking Class! 🇱🇰
Join me on Saturday 17th May from 1–4.30pm for a hands-on afternoon of spice, laughter, and seriously delicious food. We’ll be cooking a full Sri Lankan feast together—think Kukul Mas (Chicken Curry), Parippu (Dhal), Coconut Potato & Green Bean Curry, Mallung, Pol Sambal, and fiery Lunu Miris.

It’s a relaxed and fun class where you’ll learn by doing, not just watching. Everything’s provided (including aprons!) and you’re welcome to bring a bottle of wine or something special to enjoy with the meal. And yes—you can take leftovers home!

Limited spots available—book early to secure yours.
📍 East Mackay | 🎟 Link in bio

01/04/2025

Risotto by instinct. Arancini by design. In this week’s Spice Chronicles, I show you how to make a deeply savoury prawn and gochujang risotto—no recipe required—and give the leftovers a second life as golden arancini or crisp risotto rösti.
🌶️🧄🧀
For the full recipe go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

An intuitive approach to risotto with a gochujang twist—plus leftover alchemy with arancini and rösti

26/03/2025

There’s a pot of stock simmering away on my stove today, quietly doing its thing while I work. I nearly always have one on the go. It’s how I stretch every veggie trimming, herb stem, and leftover bone into something full of depth and comfort.

A good stock brings warmth and complexity to everything it touches, and in this week’s Spice Chronicles, I’m sharing a global guide to making your own: from classic chicken and fish stocks to regional broths like Korean dashima, Vietnamese pho, and French fumet.

For the full recipe go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

From Korean master stock to French fumet, this is a simmering tribute to the heart of every kitchen, infused with memory, tradition, and the taste of time.

25/03/2025

What do a Le Creuset, a French oven, and a backyard barbecue have in common? They’ve all helped me cook chicken the Marcella Hazan way.

In my latest Cooking with Marcella post, I’m diving into Marcella’s iconic chicken recipes—from stovetop pot-roasting to oven-roasted with rosemary, to a smoky, peppery grill-side classic. I’ve given you one base recipe, three faithful variations, and all the food pairings Marcella recommended to serve them with.

For the full recipe go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

Three iconic ways to roast a bird, the Italian way

21/03/2025

A cake salé with a Sri Lankan soul. This Apéro snack takes the French classic and layers it with bold flavours—curry leaf oil, labneh, and a peppery spice blend form the base, while Fish Curry Butter, charred potatoes, marinated tuna, and lunu miris build a bite that’s rich, vibrant, and unforgettable.

This is Apéro with a global twist—where French technique meets Sri Lankan depth in a perfect, savoury balance. Try it on its own or as an elegant club sandwich.

For the full recipe, go to the Linktree in my bio and follow the link to Substack.

A cross-cultural bite blending French technique, Portuguese inspiration, and Sri Lankan spice