By Leigh O’Connor.
Growing up in the Middle East and beginning his career in the kitchen during the late 1970s, Chef Ashraf Saleh puts a new spin on cuisine inspired by the rich diversity of flavours and produce found in his homeland.
The brainchild behind Chef-hatted restaurant Coya on Pacific Highway in St Leonards, Ash now brings his new cookbook ‘Ash’s Spice Journey’ to the table.
Catering to the adventurous foodies, Coya serves up plates that are works of art, bursting with flavours you are unlikely to have tried anywhere else.
In this new book, Ash shows the home cook how to get creative with spices and herbs, covering meat, seafood, poultry, vegetarian meals and beautiful desserts.
"Spices are the essence of life, balancing flavours from everyday ingredients and elevating them to a whole new flavour profile, while serving our dietary needs and promoting wellness,” he tells AGFG.
A collection of tempting recipes using fresh, seasonal produce, these are dishes to enjoy at home or for family celebrations, incorporating a variety of spices into your daily diet through delicious flavoursome ingredients.
Everyone loves pork belly right? This recipe for crispy pork belly and spiced plum sauce is sure to become a family favourite and is also ideal for a different take on the festive roast.
You will need to start preparing this meal the day before you plan to eat it – pat the pork dry with a paper towel and on a clean work surface, rub the garlic, thyme, orange and oil mixture over the flesh side of the meat.
Sit it on top of the onion in a large, deep roasting pan and refrigerate overnight, uncovered to dry out the rind.
The spicy plum sauce and plum wedges give a very festive look to this dish, however it is delicious served at any time of the year.
Ash’s slow-cooked cinnamon and star anise beef cheeks are an old-time family comfort food…the aroma is a welcoming temptation promising a delicious meal when everyone returns home.
Served with a silky-smooth potato purée, make sure not to overcook or over-mix the potato as you could split the cream if it gets too hot and overworking will make the potato gluey. This recipe can also be served with heirloom vegetables, such as carrots and beetroot.
These are just two of the stunning recipes in the cookbook, which shows many ways to get creative with spices and add zest to any meal.
Ash’s Spice Journey: A Culinary Balance of Spices is available from all good book stores, or online @coya_sydney.
