Bittergourd for baby

Instagram followers of Bella Koh (@catslavery) are always in awe of the healthy dishes – and unusual ingredients – that she feeds her toddler. Here, she shares four recipes.

May 2017

STIR-FRIED PURPLE POTATOES WITH JAPANESE BITTERGOURD

Serves 1

1 tbsp organic toasted sesame oil 1 organic purple potato, peeled and cut into long 1cm-thick strips 1 nigauri, halved and sliced (also known as goya, or Japanese bittergourd).

1 tsp organic minced garlic 1 tsp organic minced young ginger 1 tbsp organic mirin 1 tbsp organic dashi sauce ½ tsp pink Himalayan salt Pinch of organic white sesame seeds Pinch of fried whitebait Brown rice.

1 Heat a frying pan with 1 tsp sesame oil.

2 Add potatoes and fry for 7 minutes until cooked, but not softened.

3 Add remaining oil, bittergourd, minced garlic and ginger. Stir-fry for 5 minutes.

4 Pour in mirin, dashi and salt.

5 Cook for a few more minutes, and garnish with sesame seeds and whitebait.

6 Serve with a side of organic brown rice.

SALMON BALLS IN DASHI BROTH

Serves 1

250g cold water salmon.

½ tsp pink Himalayan salt 250ml dashi stock.

1 slice old ginger.

1 tsp sake.

1 tsp organic mirin.

2 to 3 stalks organic kale 1 stalk spring onion, diced For yuzu kosho dipping sauce 1 tbsp yuzu juice.

1 tbsp dashi sauce.

1 Drain excess water from salmon and blend in food processor with salt.

Set the processor on pulse mode for about 30 seconds. Do not overblend – it shouldn’t be finely minced.

2 Heat dashi stock in a pot and add ginger, sake and mirin.

3 Shape the minced salmon into balls, or 5cm to 6cm in diameter, and boil them in stock for 7 to 10 minutes.

Season stock with salt.

4 Poach kale for 1 to 2 minutes.

5 Serve stock, salmon balls and kale alongside a dipping sauce of yuzu kosho. Garnish with spring onions.

ORGANIC TOFU DASHI SOUP WITH BAMBOO SHOOTS AND MIZUNA

Serves 1

250ml dashi stock

4 slices old ginger 1 tbsp dashi sauce

(available at Meidiya) 1 tsp sake

1 tsp organic mirin 1 packet of organic tofu ½ cup fresh organic bamboo shoots, cut 3cm thick

¼ bunch organic mizuna (Japanese mustard greens)

½ tsp pink Himalayan salt Multigrain rice

1 Heat dashi stock in a pot and add ginger, sauce, sake and mirin.

Boil for 15 minutes.

2 Scoop tofu into a bowl.

3 Add bamboo shoots and mizuna into soup. Cook gently over heat for 5 minutes.

Season with salt.

4 Arrange bamboo shoots and mizuna with tofu in bowl.

5 Pour hot soup into bowl, and serve with multigrain rice.

VEGAN POMEGRANATE TARTS

Serves 6 to 8

For pastry

¼ cup organic rolled oats 3 tbsp organic rice flour ¼ tsp pink Himalayan salt 1½ cup organic desiccated coconut 1 cup organic spel flour ¼ cup melted organic coconut oil 2 tbsp maple syrup.

1 tbsp organic vanilla extract For filling

1.4 litres cold pressed almond and coconut milk

2 tsp agar powder

½ cup maple syrup

A pinch of pink Himalayan salt 2 tsp arrowroot powder Water

½ cup pomegranate powder ¼ cup beetroot juice

1 tbsp organic vanilla extract To make the pastry

1 Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Line the bottom of a 23cm round springform tin with baking paper and oil the sides.

2 Blend oats, rice flour, salt and half of desiccated coconut in a food processor till the mixture is finely grounded.

3 Pour into a bowl and add spel flour and the rest of the desiccated coconut.

Add the coconut oil and mix through with your fingertips.

4 Add maple syrup and vanilla extract, then continue until mixture is even.