The perfect brew.

I know coffee making is an art, both in roasting and presentation - I've seen the delicate patterns that don the top of a latte or cappuccino! However lets not forget there is an art of making the perfect cup of tea too.

I am not talking about the art of dunking a Bushells tea bag in a mug of hot water, adding milk and then masking the taste with too many sugars. Im talking about, quality tea leaves that have delectable flavours such as green earl grey with a mix of bergamot and rose petals - ah this is what tea breaks are all about.

Whilst shopping at the Queen Victoria Markets today the Tarian Pantry team stumbled across a lovely tea merchant - you will find no sweet artificial flavours of vanilla or strawberry here - these are the cream of the crop, the tea crop!

Follow the steps below and you will be well on your way to making the perfect cup or pot of tea.

Step 1 - Warm the cup or pot with boiled water, rinse then add the loose leaf tea in a bag or an infuser

Step 2 - Pour nearly boiled water straight into the cup/pot

Step 3 - Infuse for 3-5 minutes. As a general rule, the smaller the leaf the shorter the brewing time

Step 4 - Sway the bag or agitate the leaves in the infuser a few times, this ensures a more balanced release of flavour

Step 5 - Remove bag or infuser prior to serving

Note: Only black teas (with the exception of Earl Grey) should be served with milk.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Sunday - Spinach Pie

We heart Sunday's - our most favourite day of the week. We love comforting foods, foods that make a statement so this spinach pie is ideal what ever the weather as it can be served hot or cold.

Ingredients

1kg Silverbeet

2 tbsp olive oil

4 spring onions, sliced

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 cup mix herbs: dill, parsley, chives

1/2 tsp nutmeg

375g hard tofu, minced

Handful, white rice

10 sheets, filo pastry

2 tbsp vegan margarine, melted

Method

Remove steams from silverbeet and coarsely chop the leaves. Place the leaves in a steamer over boiling water, cover and steam for 3 minutes or until wilted. Drain well and cool.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frypan over a medium heat and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Set aside.

Squeeze any excess water from the spinach. In a blender, add the spinach, onions and process until a course paste is formed. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; add the mixed herbs, nutmeg, tofu, rice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Brush a 20xm x30cm ovenproof dish with a little of the melted margarine. Lay filo pastry flat on a work surface. Cover with a damp clean tea towel to stop the pastry drying out.

Brush one half of a pastry sheet with the melted margarine and then fold in half. Place over the base of the dish. Repeat 2 more times, brushing with margarine between each layer.

Spread half the mixture evenly over the pastry. Top with 3 more pastry sheets. Spread with the remaining spinach mixture and then top with 3 more pastry sheets. Tuck any overlapping pastry down on the side of the dish and brush the top pastry sheet with the remaining margarine.

Score the top with a sharp knife and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake in a pre heated oven for 45 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden.

Serve hot or cold.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Saturday - Quinoa and tomato soup

Meals are often all over the place on a weekend, breakfast becomes brunch and lunch becomes afternoon tea so by the time dinner comes around, you are hungry but not starving.

A soup is an ideal meal for that time when you want something to eat but don't really know what you feel like because you have been grazing all day. Its the meal when you are not really eating a meal.

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 leek, finely sliced

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1 x 400g whole canned tomatoes

1.5L vegetable stock

60g purple kale, chopped

125g Quinoa (white)

Handful parsley, chopped

Salt and pepper

Method

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add the leeks and chilli and saute over a medium heat for 3 minutes.

Add the canned tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the quinoa and kale and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until the quinoa resembles 'curls'.

Stir through the parsley and season to taste.

Serve.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Friday - Pizza

In the Tarian Pantry house hold, Friday night is always pizza or burger night. We thought we would share with you our basic pizza dough recipe & suggested toppings. We believe this pizza tastes better than any pizza shop pizza.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1 x 8g sachet dry yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

Warm water

Method

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and slowly add the water. Mix to a soft dough.

Once dough is formed, add the oil and knead the dough on a floured surface until soft and elastic, around 10 minutes.

Return the dough to the mixing bowl and cover with cling wrap. Leave in a warm spot (on top of the pre heated oven is ideal) for 30-40 minutes. The dough should double in size.

When it has risen, use your fist to punch the dough down to remove any air bubbles. Gently knead on a lightly floured surface for 1 minute.

Roll the dough out to desired size and add toppings.

Note: This recipe makes 1 thick base or 2 thin bases.

Suggested toppings

Basic tomato sauce

Onion

Brown mushrooms

Olives

Pineapple (fresh not canned)

Vegi deli sausages

Basil

Chilli

Tofutti cream cheese

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Thursday - Mexican nachos & rice

Thursday's almost feel like a Friday and as the shops are open late on a Thursday, you need to coordinate shopping & dinner at the same time. You certainly don't want either taking up too much of your evening so this quick and easy meal is perfect for those nights when you don't have much time.

Ingredients

1 pkt corn chips

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 red capsicum, diced

1 chilli, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

437g can refried black eyed beans

120g can whole tomatoes

1 corn cob, boiled

Toppings

Guacamole

Cos lettuce, shredded

2 tomatoes, deseeded and diced

Tofutti sour cream

Jalapenos

Method

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and add the onion, capsicum, chilli and garlic. Fry for 5 minutes. Stir through the paprika and cayenne pepper.

Add the refried beans and tomatoes and stir until well combined. Cut the corn kernels off the cob and add to the bean mixture. If the mix is a little runny, add 1 tbsp flour to 3 tbsp water and mix well. Add this to the bean mixture. Simmer on a low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Assemble on a plate the corn chip and top with the bean mixture. Then add the shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream and top with jalapenos.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 capsicum, diced

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

3 saffron threads

2 cups white rice, uncooked and rinsed

4 cups vegetable stock

3 tomatoes, deseeded and diced

Method

Heat in a fry pan, the oil. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds. Add the capsicum and onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add the spices and mix well.

Add the rice and pour in the vegetable stock. Stir well, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water has absorbed and rice is cooked.

Remove from heat and place rice on a greased baking tray. Bake in a pre heated 180 degree oven for 15 minutes. Remove and transfer to a dish. Place the tomatoes on top, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.

Serve.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Wednesday - Dhal

Wednesday, also known as 'hump' day! We are on top of the mound and from here, its all down hill! Keeping with the Asian flavours, this dhal has a lovely aniseed aroma and is best served with Quinoa for lightness (rice we feel is too heavy and will have you bursting at the seams).

Ingredients

1/4 cup oil

1 brown onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cinnamon stick (3 inches)

3 bay leaves

3 cloves

2 tsp cumin, ground

1 tsp coriander, ground

1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

2 tomatoes, deseeded and diced

1/2 tsp sea salt flakes

1 cup red lentils

3 cup water (or vegetable stock)

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and cook until browned - do not burn.

Add the cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, cumin, coriander, tumeric, mustard seeds and chilli flakes and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and salt and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the lentils and add water. Simmer on a medium to low heat for 20 - 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. Add more water, if needed to thin.

Before serving, remove the clove, cinnamon stick and bay leaves.

Serve with Quinoa, the perfect alternative to rice.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Tuesday - Vietnamese Summer salad

Tuesdays meals are about exploring the world with flavours from afar. This delicious dish will have your taste buds dancing for joy and your tummies wanting more.

The tangy fresh flavours of the lime and mint and the liquorice flavours of the basil are an ideal mix in this summer salad.

Ingredients

1 pkt (1o0g) vermicelli noodles, soaked

1 large bok choy, steams cut on bias and leaves shredded

1/4 red cabbage, shredded

1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

1/2 small cucumber, cut into matchsticks

Handful beansprouts

Handful leaves: basil, mint, flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1 red chilli, thinly sliced

8 puffed tofu, quartered

1 part vietnamese dressing (see below)

Dressing

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tsp tamari

Pinch salt

1/4 tsp sesame oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 inch ginger, minced

2 spring onions, sliced thinly

Method

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a screw top jar and shake until well combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, bok choy, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, beansprouts, herbs, chilli and tofu. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, enough to coat.

Serve chilled.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Monday - Lentil and tomato pasta sauce

Monday's are always hard, no matter which way you look at it. So its good to know, when the working day is over, you have a comforting and fulfilling meal to look forward too. This is the meal that will give you the energy you need for the week ahead.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 brown onion, sliced

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

400g canned whole tomatoes

3 roma tomatoes, deseed and chopped

300g brown lentils, cooked

30g baby spinach, chopped

1/4 cup parsley, chopped

1 tbsp tofutti cream cheese

Method

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over a medium heat and saute the onions until transparent - about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and chilli flakes and cook for a further 1 minute.

Add salt and pepper, the canned and fresh tomatoes, lentils and cook until the tomatoes have broken down, around 15 minutes.

Stir through the spinach, parsley and cream cheese and cook for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and cover to keep warm.

In the meantime, cook your favourite pasta according to packet instructions.

Serve the pasta with a generous serving of the pasta sauce. The perfect accompaniment to this dish is roasted garlic bread.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Sweet colours of Aubergine

Aubergine or Eggplant as its otherwise known is an extremely versatile 'fruit'. The eggplant is part of the nightshade family and is closely related to the tomato and potato.

Eggplants contains small soft seeds which are edible but are a little bitter in taste. Once cooked, the seeds become tender (& less bitter) and you end up with a soft consistency. Eggplant absorbs oil and sauces quickly, making it extremely rich in flavour.

As the eggplant acts like a sponge, this Eggplant & chick pea curry is soft and subtle in texture. Mixed with roasted cherry tomatoes, this curry sweet and tangy in flavour.

Ingredients

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp sumac

2 tsp cumin ground

2 tsp coriander ground

1 tsp Herbies Brazil spice mix

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1 onion, diced

1 garlic, chopped

1 medium aubergine, diced

20 cherry tomatoes, roasted

1/2 cauliflower, diced

270ml coconut milk

1/2 cup vegetable stock

400g can chickpeas

Method

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and fry the spices for 1 minute. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Stir through the aubergine and cherry tomatoes and mix well. Add the coconut milk and vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes before adding the chickpeas.

Cook on a low simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Serve with brown rice and tofutti sour cream.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

To fry or not to fry?

We say fry. Without the use of a deep fryer, this golden delicious tofu has donned our dinner plates many a evenings. Served with a sweet chilli sauce, this is one of Tarian's favourite simple yet delightful meals.

This meal has 3 ingredients....1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tbsp sesame oil, 1 block tofu, cubed.

Method - Cut the tofu into blocks and pat out as much moisture as possible (paper towels are ideal for this). Heat the oils in a fry pan and then add the tofu. Stir fry until all sides are golden.

Serve with a sweet chilli sauce.

www.tarianpantry.com.au

Zucchini and Beetroot Sandwich

There is nothing like a good sandwich to satisfy and make you feel nothing but contentment during the middle of the day.

Our favourite these days is Zucchini and Beetroot sandwiched between soy and linseed bread.

Ingredients for this creation:

1 zucchini, cut length ways & roasted

2 tsp Beetroot and Almond Dip (Pilpel)

Handful Rocket

2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise

2 slices soy and linseed bread

This is a great take on the over ordered and over eaten roasted vegetable sandwiches!

www.tarianpantry.com.au