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This restaurant within a sleek Claremont development reinterprets Mediterranean cooking for the western suburbs set

This restaurant within a sleek Claremont development reinterprets Mediterranean cooking for the western suburbs set

Not every dish sticks its landing, however. The pasta dough in the UFO-like tortelli filled with roasted pumpkin was too thick for purpose. Striploin steak had little of the char, crust or smoke that one hopes to enjoy on cow grilled over charcoal. Soggy, under-salted chips make baby Jesus cry. Every kitchen has off nights, sure, but when you're talking about a restaurant spruiking mains north of $40, these misfires can jar, especially when the dining room isn't especially busy.
Service can also waver. One moment, dapper waiters will materialise tableside offering, unprompted, a taste of a wine that they think you'll enjoy. (They're right!) Another, they'll become oddly defensive when you ask whether the beef Wellington is a single slice cut from a bigger portion or a smaller, individual pastry for one: all fair questions, I think, when considering dropping $73 on your dinner.
While I personally reckon Avalon would be a more compelling prospect if the food leaned harder into Tsimpidis' Greek heritage, I accept that such a narrow focus mightn't work for what is essentially an upmarket neighbourhood restaurant servicing some of Perth's most desirable postcodes. Still, the menu feels big and tricky to navigate. Could trimming the carte improve things for guests and the kitchen alike, I wonder?
But perhaps sharply composed plates gleaned from the Mediterranean nations and served in a fancy room is precisely what well-heeled locals want. While some of us yearn for meals to tide us over until that next Japanese holiday, others crave edible postcards that conjure sunny memories of July getaways to Nice, Santorini, Positano and the like. (And should they happen to share an address with the restaurant and live in the apartments above, even better.)
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The New York Times recipe: Creamy paneer, tangy tomatoes and a gorgeously easy dinner
The New York Times recipe: Creamy paneer, tangy tomatoes and a gorgeously easy dinner

West Australian

timea day ago

  • West Australian

The New York Times recipe: Creamy paneer, tangy tomatoes and a gorgeously easy dinner

'If you're going to eat dairy, you should go all in,' said Anita Jaisinghani, the chef and owner of Pondicheri in Houston. She was talking about a recipe for paneer korma from her cookbook, Masala: Recipes From India, The Land Of Spices. To make the dish, thick slices of the cheese are roasted in yoghurt and ghee until thoroughly bronzed, then added to a sauce of heavy cream and ground almonds that is scented with rose water and cardamom. It's a combination that walks the line between abundance and overkill, but — thanks to the sharpness of the yoghurt and ginger paste — never crosses it. Jaisinghani has long been obsessed with paneer. A microbiologist turned chef who was born and raised in Gujarat, a state in western India, she makes big wheels of the mild fresh cheese every few days at the restaurant. Then she uses it everywhere — simmered into curries, nestled into salads like soft croutons, crumbled over vegetables as a creamy finish. Replacing the usual meat or vegetables in a traditional korma was her way of celebrating the cheese's milkiness. 'It's dairy with dairy with dairy with dairy,' she says. 'I love it, but it's not necessarily for everyone.' Simmering those same yoghurt-roasted paneer slices in a spicy tomato curry, however, is a dish any cheese lover can get behind. The key to making this dish, which she makes at home, Jaisinghani says, is to bring out the tanginess of the tomatoes, which balances the richness of the cheese. 'Paneer needs an acid; otherwise, it's super bland,' she says. A zippy mix of grated ginger and garlic and ground cayenne accomplishes this, while cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric add depth. It's also easier: you can roast the cheese in the oven as the tomatoes simmer away on the stove top. This initial roasting is especially important, she says, when using store-bought paneer, which doesn't have that same delicate, milky character as homemade cheese. Then, after adding the roasted paneer to the simmering sauce, it's essential to wait at least 10 minutes before serving. 'If you let the paneer sit in the hot curry to steam, it plumps up and gets pillowy,' she says, 'and that's what I love about it best.' Recipe from Anita Jaisinghani Adapted by Melissa Clark Roasting mild paneer with yoghurt and ghee (or butter) gives it a complex, toasty flavour that's balanced by the spices and gentle acidity of a quickly-made tomato curry. This recipe is adapted from Anita Jaisinghani of Pondicheri in Houston. She prepares her own paneer several times a week to use in curries, salads and crumbled over roasted vegetables. But store-bought paneer will work well here and makes this satisfying dish supremely weeknight-friendly. Serve it with rice or flatbread on the side, if you like, to catch the heady sauce. If you have dried fenugreek leaves, you can crumble a tablespoon or so into the curry right at the end. 450-550g paneer, cut into 2.5cm cubes (2 to 3 packages, depending on size) 5 to 6 tbsp plain whole-milk Greek yoghurt 3 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter, melted salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as vegetable, safflower or grapeseed oil 1 tsp cumin seeds ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional) 2 cardamom pods, cracked 1 cinnamon stick 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced or finely grated 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger (from about 2cm piece) 2 tsp garam masala ¼ tsp ground turmeric pinch of ground cayenne or red-pepper flakes 1 (400g) can whole plum tomatoes ½ cup coarsely chopped coriander leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish Step 1 Heat oven to 200C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Step 2 In a mixing bowl, combine paneer, 3 tablespoons yoghurt and ghee. Toss until paneer is well coated, then spread it in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Roast until the edges are golden, about 13 to 18 minutes. Step 4 Using the back of a wooden spoon or your hands, break up tomatoes into pieces and add them, along with their liquid, to the frying pan. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir to combine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the mixture has thickened slightly, 6 to 8 minutes. Step 5 Remove the pan from the heat and stir in coriander, remaining 1 teaspoon garam masala, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of yoghurt, depending on how creamy you want your sauce. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed. Step 6 Add paneer to pan and gently toss until well coated. Let paneer sit in the sauce for at least 10 minutes to absorb its flavours. Reheat gently over low heat, if needed. Garnish with more coriander and serve. Serves 3-4 Total time: 30 minutes This article originally appeared in The New York Times . © 2022 The New York Times Company

How a volunteer run cafe is giving broken items new life
How a volunteer run cafe is giving broken items new life

Perth Now

timea day ago

  • Perth Now

How a volunteer run cafe is giving broken items new life

More than 3000 broken items have been rescued from landfill thanks to the Repair Cafe, a free volunteer-run event held on the third Saturday of every month at the North Perth Town Hall. The not-for-profit group runs its monthly events from 9.30am to 11.30am. People are invited to bring along broken or faulty household items such as bikes, clothes, furniture or technology devices and volunteer experts will help fix them, as well answer questions about how to fix items at home or even where to get the right parts. Deputy co-ordinator and general repairer Bruce Galbraith, who has been volunteering with the Repair Cafe since he retired seven years ago, said the cafe drew between 15 to 20 visitors each month and had 10 to 15 volunteers who each brought their own area of expertise. 'We have the ladies doing textiles, both sewing, both machine sewing and hand sewing. Then we have guys doing electrical stuff, a couple of computer guys. We have a guy who can do bikes as they're needed,' Mr Galbraith said. He said the main aim of their work was to keep things out of landfill. 'Reduce the amount of things going to landfill, and helping people repair things to keep them out of landfill; that is the main mantra,' Mr Galbraith said. 'We have the mantra that every successful repair we do equally keeps a kilo out of landfill.' Mr Galbraith said he really enjoyed fixing items with a background and history. 'A lady told me that (her suitcase) had been her mother's in Singapore just before the Japanese invaded. Her mother had two hours to get out; it lasted through the war. Now her daughter is using it for family history again.' he said. The Repair Cafe isn't just for old items. Fixing broken children's toys is also really popular. 'I fixed a scooter for a boy on Saturday, and he was so pleased he had his scooter that he could run around and ride it again. He was delighted,' he said. Sandra and Robert Gilbert with their granddaughter's repaired toy. Credit: Ross Swanborough / The West Australian Mr Galbraith said the cafe was backed by the City of Vincent, which they greatly appreciated. 'But we also appreciate donations, which help us keep supplying a few things like glue,' he said. The Repair Cafe started in North Perth more than seven years ago. Mr Galbraith said it was part of a global movement which started in Belgium about 18 years ago. 'We're all aware of each other ... There's around 3600 (repair Cafed) worldwide and about 55,000 volunteers.' he said. 'In Europe, they are now bringing in laws that make it compulsory that things can be repaired and manufacturers have to provide parts.' Paola Battaglia with her cuckoo clock. Credit: Ross Swanborough / The West Australian

This restaurant within a sleek Claremont development reinterprets Mediterranean cooking for the western suburbs set
This restaurant within a sleek Claremont development reinterprets Mediterranean cooking for the western suburbs set

Sydney Morning Herald

time3 days ago

  • Sydney Morning Herald

This restaurant within a sleek Claremont development reinterprets Mediterranean cooking for the western suburbs set

Not every dish sticks its landing, however. The pasta dough in the UFO-like tortelli filled with roasted pumpkin was too thick for purpose. Striploin steak had little of the char, crust or smoke that one hopes to enjoy on cow grilled over charcoal. Soggy, under-salted chips make baby Jesus cry. Every kitchen has off nights, sure, but when you're talking about a restaurant spruiking mains north of $40, these misfires can jar, especially when the dining room isn't especially busy. Service can also waver. One moment, dapper waiters will materialise tableside offering, unprompted, a taste of a wine that they think you'll enjoy. (They're right!) Another, they'll become oddly defensive when you ask whether the beef Wellington is a single slice cut from a bigger portion or a smaller, individual pastry for one: all fair questions, I think, when considering dropping $73 on your dinner. While I personally reckon Avalon would be a more compelling prospect if the food leaned harder into Tsimpidis' Greek heritage, I accept that such a narrow focus mightn't work for what is essentially an upmarket neighbourhood restaurant servicing some of Perth's most desirable postcodes. Still, the menu feels big and tricky to navigate. Could trimming the carte improve things for guests and the kitchen alike, I wonder? But perhaps sharply composed plates gleaned from the Mediterranean nations and served in a fancy room is precisely what well-heeled locals want. While some of us yearn for meals to tide us over until that next Japanese holiday, others crave edible postcards that conjure sunny memories of July getaways to Nice, Santorini, Positano and the like. (And should they happen to share an address with the restaurant and live in the apartments above, even better.)

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