A nature cookout workshop on a soft misty rain morning. The kangaroos looked on and came and said hello to us. The kookaburras were singing a song of approval and grace seeing 24 people enjoying a vegetarian meal. Six vegetarians amongst the crew, everyone else happily getting a heads up on Ling’s inspired creations.

We were in the Kuringai’s Damper’s picnic area inside the Wildflower Garden. Its just off Mona Vale Road and a lovely place to step out of the hustle and bustle into a bushland connection.

Rosemary Protein Power in Vege BBQ sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 packs vege protein products 600 g defrosted
• a bunch of Rosemary sprigs
• 5 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 5 tablespoons of Vege BBQ sauce
• 2 chillis, optional

Method:

• Remove the rosemary leaves from the stalk.
• Mix rosemary leaves, Vege BBQ sauce, soy sauce and chilli.
• Mix with the Vege Protein and marinate for 15 mins
• Grill or bake soy fish until crispy

Note: if cooking on the BBQ hot plate keep the heat low so that the Veg Protein does not burn but gently browns.
Ready to serve

Fresh Summer Rolls (Vietnamese Wrap) (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

• 250g Lamyong Vegetarian Mushroom Ham (defrost, cut julienne)
• 1 pack Vietnamese Rice Paper Wrap
• Rice Noodles 250g (soak and blanch in boiling water until tender)
• ¼ Lettuce (washed and chopped)
• 1 bunch coriander (washed and chopped)
• 2 Cucumbers (washed, cut julienne)
• 200g Snake Beans (washed, cut into desired length)
• 1 bunch Fresh Perilla
• Dipping Sauce:
• 1 clove garlic
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup of tamarind juice *
  • To prepare the tamarind juice:
  • Cut off 1/6 of a block of 375g tamarind packet. Put into a bowl and pour boiling water over it. Use a spoon to mix the tamarind with the water. Pour out the tamarind juice into the cup.
• 3 chilli ( optional)

Dipping Sauce Method:
Prepare the sauce by mixing all ingredients in a bowl.

Wrapping the roll:

• Dip the rice paper wrap in cold water
• put it flat on a plate
• Add fillings of vege ham, lettuce, noodles etc.
• roll up to make the spring roll
• dip the roll in the sauce and enjoy.

Sticky Rice and fresh corn heavenly sweet

Ingredients

• 1 cup of glutinous rice.
• 1 litre of water
• 1 can coconut cream – 400ml
• 1 cup of organic raw sugar
• 6 cobs of fresh corn

Method:

• slice the corn off the cob into thin slices
• in a pot, cook the rice with the 1 litre of water.
• Once the rice is cooked (after 20 minutes)
• add the corn and the sugar
• cook for another 10 minutes
• add coconut cream, bring to boil and turn off.
• Ready to serve

Green paw paw and carrot Salad

Ingredients for 20 people

• Fresh Green paw paw, 2 small shredded bite sized
• carrot 2 medium – shredded bite sized
• Chilli (optional) 10 chillies
• Cashew/peanut nuts 2 cups
• Tomato 4 medium – diced
• Garlic 8 cloves
• Lemon/lime juice 3 small lemons or 6 limes
• Organic raw Sugar 1 cup
• Soy sauce the bottle on hand
• 1 cup of tamarind juice *
• To prepare the tamarind juice:

• Cut off 1/6 of a block of 375g tamarind packet. Put into a bowl and pour boiling water over it. Use a spoon to mix the tamarind with the water. Pour out the tamarind juice into the cup.

Mix all the shredded paw paw and carrot in a large dish.

Ingredients for 1 batch in the mortar

• Shredded paw paw and carrot mix 2 cups
• Chilli (optional) ½ or to taste
• Cashew/peanut nuts 1/4 cup
• diced Tomato 1/3 of a cup
• Garlic 1 small clove
• Lemon/lime juice 1 tablespoon
• Organic raw Sugar 2 tablespoons
• Soy sauce 4 tablespoons
• Tamarind juice 1 tablespoon

Method:

• In a mortar, add chilli, garlic roughly grind these with pestle
• add the nuts, roughly ground these with pestle
• Add paw paw & carrot mix, tomato, soy sauce, lemon/lime juice and sugar.
• Then gently mix all ingredients through with pestle.
• Serve

Tips:

• Cucumber, carrot, green mango, snake beans or broccoli and paw paw can be used by themselves alone or together
• Dried dates can replace raw sugar
• Mortar and Pestle can be purchased from Cabramatta for $16 a set
• Green paw paw can be bought from most fruit and Veg shops or grow your own