Food in Australia

When I first arrived in Australia, there were many vegetables in the supermarket that I had never seen in China, and I had no idea how to cook or eat them. After staying in Australia for a long time, I gradually got to know these ingredients and figured out how to make them delicious. Australians generally roast these ingredients and then sprinkle them with pepper and salt before eating. In addition, some vegetables can be washed and eaten as salads. We are not limited to these two methods. After a period of exploration and practice, we have mastered some tasty ways to prepare these ingredients.

1. Fennel (Fennel)

Fennel is originally from Italy. This vegetable is quite tasty when used in cold salads. It has a texture similar to bamboo shoots, with a slight fennel flavor and a refreshing mouthfeel. Specific method: Cut off the head and tail of the fennel, wash it, cut it into thin strips along the grain, blanch it, then remove and soak in ice water with a squeeze of lemon juice for 10–20 minutes. Then transfer to a plate and drain. Take a small amount of soaked black fungus, blanch it, shred it, and place it in a bowl with the fennel. Add minced garlic, shredded scallion, salt, sugar, MSG, sesame oil, chili oil, mustard oil, soy sauce, and vinegar. Mix well and serve.

2. Butternut Squash (Butternut Squash)

Butternut squash is originally from Australia. It looks like a gourd on the outside, and when cut open, it resembles a pumpkin. It is a variety of immature zucchini. It is suitable for stir-frying. When eaten, it has a pumpkin-like flavor but a more delicate texture than pumpkin. Specific method: Peel the butternut squash and cut it into thin slices. Sauté scallions in oil, then add the squash slices and stir-fry. Add salt and a little water, simmer briefly, then remove from heat and serve.

3. Artichokes (Artichokes)

Artichokes are originally from the Mediterranean coast. They are suitable for steaming and eating as a snack, not as a side dish for rice. The edible part of the artichoke is the flower bud. When eaten, it has a fresh walnut flavor, very fragrant. Specific method: Peel off the outermost tough leaves to reveal the tender leaves. Cut off the neck and the top third or more, as this part contains fibers and is inedible, and can easily prick your fingers or tongue. Steam for ten minutes. After removing, pull off the leaves and dip them in salad dressing. Only the white part at the base of each leaf is eaten. Artichokes have very little edible portion. The innermost leaves near the heart are tender and can be eaten entirely.

4. Kale (Kale)

Kale is originally from northern Europe. It is good in cold salads. Tear off the kale leaves, discard the stems, soak in clean water, and wash. Bring water to a boil in a pot, add a little salt, blanch the kale for a while longer. Remove and cool in cold water, then squeeze out the water, cut a few times, and arrange on a plate. After soaking about ten pieces of black fungus, blanch them, shred them, and mix with the kale. Add minced garlic, shredded scallion, salt, sugar, MSG, sesame oil, chili oil, mustard oil, soy sauce, and vinegar. Mix well and serve.

5. Squash Button Gold (Squash Button Gold)

Squash Button Gold, also called gold pumpkin, but it is not actually pumpkin. It can be eaten raw. It is tender and crispy, with a fresh fragrance and very refreshing. How to eat: Wash the Squash Button Gold, cut into thin slices, and mix with rocket, lettuce, and tomatoes. Squeeze salad dressing over it, mix well, and serve.

6. Chard (Chard)

Chard, also known as leaf beet or Swiss chard, has thick and tender leaves. It is originally from southern Europe. There are three types: white-stemmed, green-stemmed, and red-stemmed. It can be used for cooking, feed, and ornamental purposes. Specific method: Wash the chard and cut into sections, separating leaves and stems. Bring water to a boil in a wok, first add the stems, then after a while add the leaves. Cook until done, remove, and drain on a plate. Crush garlic into mince. Add oil to the wok, heat it, add the garlic to sauté, then add salt, stock, and oyster sauce. Bring to a boil and pour over the chard. Add MSG, stir slightly, and serve.

7. Parsnips (Parsnips)

Parsnips are originally from Europe. The root is thick, containing sugar and fat, and tastes similar to carrots. Stir-fried together with carrots, they taste great. Specific method: Wash and slice the parsnips. Blanch the carrot slices. Heat oil in a pan, sauté scallions, first add the carrots and stir-fry, then add the parsnips and continue stir-frying. Add salt, soy sauce, and MSG in order. Remove from heat and serve.

8. Brussels Sprouts (Brussels Sprouts)

Brussels sprouts have a slight bitterness. When eating, wash them with water, cut into quarters, blanch in water with a little salt for a longer time. Remove and stir-fry in a pan, then serve. Brussels sprouts have the highest nutritional content among cabbage family vegetables and are excellent for weight loss.

Asparagus is suitable for blanching. Wash the asparagus, cut off the tough woody ends, blanch in water with a little salt, then remove and plunge into cold water to maintain the bright green color. Remove from cold water, arrange on a plate, and drain. Pour an appropriate amount of steamed fish soy sauce and salt over it. Shred white scallion and ginger, place on top of the asparagus. Heat a little oil in a pan and pour it over the shredded scallion and ginger. Toss slightly with chopsticks and serve.

10. Leek (Leek)

Leek leaves resemble garlic sprouts, the head resembles scallion, and the taste resembles garlic sprouts. It can be eaten raw or cooked, best used for stir-frying with twice-cooked pork. Specific method: Boil pork belly until cooked, let cool, and slice. Cut the leek into sections, then cut lengthwise into wider shreds. Heat oil in a wok, add the meat slices and stir-fry until the meat releases oil. Remove and set aside. Put a small spoonful of Pixian doubanjiang (broad bean paste) into the wok and stir-fry until the red oil appears. Add the meat slices and leek, stir-fry together. Add a little soy sauce, stir-fry a few more times, and remove. The doubanjiang is salty enough, so no additional salt is needed.

11. Rocket (Rocket)

Rocket is originally from Europe. It tastes slightly bitter. In supermarkets, it is usually not sold separately but mixed in salad blends. Wash it, drain, toss with salad dressing, and eat.

12. Basil (Basil)

Basil is an aromatic plant used for both medicine and food. It has a strong anise-like aroma and effects such as refreshing the mind and beautifying the skin. Basil leaves can be eaten directly or made into cold dishes or vegetable salads. Adding appropriate amounts of basil leaves to meat dishes enhances the flavor. When cooking rice noodles, especially Vietnamese pho, adding some basil leaves makes it delicious.

13. Rhubarb (Rhubarb)

Rhubarb is originally from Inner Mongolia, China, but is now very popular in the UK and Australia. In appearance, it is very similar to red-stemmed chard, but rhubarb has smaller leaves and longer stems. It tastes quite sour and is rich in succinic acid. Australians cook it, strain out the pulp, add sugar, and make a jam to eat with desserts, or use it as pie filling. This vegetable is best eaten raw, not as a side dish. Wash it, cut into one-centimeter sections, and place on a plate. Chew after meals for a very refreshing taste, then spit out the pulp, like eating sugarcane.

14. Spanish moss (Spanish moss)

Spanish moss is a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese kale, with higher nutritional value than broccoli. It is delicious when blanched. Specific method: Wash the Spanish moss, blanch it, remove and soak in cold water to maintain the bright green color. Remove from cold water, arrange on a plate, and drain. Place shredded ginger and scallion on top. Pour an appropriate amount of steamed fish soy sauce and salt. Heat olive oil and pour over the scallion and ginger. Mix well and serve.

15. Okra (Okra)

Okra is originally from Africa. There are green and red varieties, rich in pectin. Specific method: Wash the okra, blanch until cooked, cool in cold water, remove, cut off the stems, and cut diagonally into three sections. Finely chop ginger, scallion, and garlic, place in a small dish, add soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, salt, and MSG in order. Mix well and use as a dip for the okra.

Kangaroo meat is sold in Australian supermarkets. In color and texture, it resembles beef, but it is not as tender. It is high in protein and low in fat. When washing the meat, your hands do not feel greasy, as if washing vegetables. Wash the kangaroo meat, slice thinly across the grain, and coat with starch. Cut onion into triangular pieces, shred scallion and ginger, crush garlic into mince, and cut dried chili peppers into sections. Pour a little olive oil into a wok, add scallion, ginger, garlic, and red chili peppers at the same time, stir-fry until fragrant, then add the kangaroo meat and stir-fry. When almost done, add salt, cooking wine, and soy sauce, then add the onion. Stir-fry a few more times, remove, and serve.

Crocodile meat is very common in Australian supermarkets. It comes skinned and deboned, with white flesh. It is best stir-fried. Wash the crocodile meat, slice thinly on the bias, squeeze out excess water, mix with starch, and set aside. Wash small chili peppers and cut into diagonal sections. Heat oil in a wok, sauté ginger and scallion, add the crocodile meat and stir-fry. Add cooking wine and salt. When the meat changes color, add the small chili peppers, soy sauce, and MSG. Remove and serve.

1. Australian Lobster

Australian lobsters are quite large, generally around 2.5 kg, and have strong resistance. Before killing the lobster, wrap it in a towel to prevent injury from its struggles. Insert a chopstick into the anus at the bottom of the tail, pushing all the way through. A yellow liquid will flow out—this is the lobster's urine. Draining the urine improves the flavor when eating. Then, hold the head with one hand and the body with the other, twist, and the head will come off. Cut open the belly with scissors, revealing the translucent lobster meat. Prepare a plate, lay crushed ice on it, cover with plastic wrap, remove the lobster meat, and arrange it on the plastic wrap for sashimi. Mix wasabi paste with soy sauce as a dip. The meat is all chunky like garlic cloves. Wash the lobster head and steam it; there is some meat on the head. Cook the lobster legs with rice, adding salt and shredded ginger to make congee. Add white pepper before serving.

Spanner crabs are quite large, each weighing about 0.6 kg. Scrub the shell with a brush, then steam in a steamer until cooked, and serve.