In its most simple form, this is a yoghurt soup that’s thickened with rice. In the traditional version, chickpeas are incorporated into the soup - I’ve turned them into a golden topping instead, brightened with kale and chilli. I get really excited about reworking simple ingredients for new pleasures. The components of this dish are humble and modest but each finds new potential in this recipe, and thus new opportunity for diner pleasure.

I first made this soup for a friend who wasn’t well and needed a chicken soup cure! I can’t promise this soup will cure all ills but it is simple and nourishing with comforting tones and a cheery promise of sunshine. These flavours and textures remind me of suburban Chinese restaurants, though I don’t at all pretend my version is traditional. I make my own creamed corn but you can also use tinned. As with all homemade dishes, the quality of the ingredients shines through. Great chicken and stock will make a big difference to the end result.

When I think ‘vegetables’ and ‘comfort’ it’s not long before I think of creamed corn. Once heated, the starches in corn kernels thicken, turning the mixture into a creamy yellow custard. It’s delicious by itself with butter, as a side dish for sausages or grilled meats, and as a comfy bed for roasted or steamed vegetables.

A good matzo ball (in my opinion) is fluffy and has some texture. That's why I make my own matzo meal so I can keep some larger crumbs, and I beat my egg whites separately. My radical intervention is to add a few Vietnamese flavours, inspired by pho noodle soup

I recently had the pleasure of joining Miznon chef Afik Gal for a hummus workshop / worship at the Mount Zero factory in Melbourne. We were joined by 20 or so hummus acolytes with a passion for perfect puree. Afik made a batch of hummus in a mortar and pestle and another big batch in the Thermomix. One of his main messages was to make hummus that you think is delicious, adjusting lemon, salt and consistency as you go.  This is Afik's recipe but this is your hummus!

During lockdown, when I was shopping for my parents, they always put kohlrabi on their shopping list. This tart, earthy yet slightly sweet member of the cabbage family isn’t a vegetable I often bought, but I started getting one for them and one for me, gaining a new appreciation for it along the way.

A fresh and fruity take on the traditional chilled tomato soup - watch me race the soup as I make a salad. Recipe by Portuguese chef Henrique Sa Pessoa.

Uttapam, idli and dosa are south Indian breads and pancakes made with the same fermented batter, most commonly made with a mixture of rice and lentils. Dosa are thin crepes, idli are steamed savoury cakes and uttapam are thicker savoury hotcakes. In south Indian households, they are each made with multiple variations. I find them extremely fun to play around with but I have to admit that I don’t often serve them traditionally.

Sambar is a south Indian dish, made with yellow lentils, tamarind and vegetables. It can be served with rice but it’s also a traditional accompaniment for dosa, rice and lentil pancakes made with fermented batter.