Nahji Chu Sydney

Her kitchen: It’s a bright and open space with all the original fixtures still intact. I love the sheer size of it — it’s really rare to find something like this in Sydney. The layout is so good — I can move around, grab things easily and entertain in here. I grew up knowing that the kitchen is where the party’s at — everything happens in the kitchen.Where she shops: Thainatown in Haymarket, Sydney. Vietnamese food culture is all about shopping for fresh ingredients daily. That’s why there’s a Chinatown and Asian fresh markets all over the world — it’s because Asians are into nutrition, not dieting. We are about longevity and healthy vitality.Her cooking style: At home, the simplest and fastest meals are what I like to cook. I’m actually also a trained Italian chef, so pasta and osso buco are also part of my repertoire.I even eat two-minute noodles, but I use the Asian variety (Wei Wei brand) and I add one cracked egg, a handful of bean shoots and some choy sum and fresh chili. I take it off the stove after two minutes and squeeze a quarter of a lemon over it to serve.

1. Steamed Veggies and Tofu Wrapped in Banana Leaves Serves 2Cook: Nahji ChuLocation: Sydney, AustraliaIngredients2 long banana leaves, wiped down with a damp cloth½ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms½ pound enoki mushrooms1 brown onion, chopped1 spring onion, chopped6 whole okra3 sprigs of snake beans (Chinese long beans), chopped½ bunch dill, chopped1 clove garlic3½ ounces fresh ginger, thinly sliced 1 sprig fresh peppercorns5½ ounces silken tofu, cut into chunksFor the sauce:3 tablespoons shaohsing wine3 tablespoons soy sauce2 tablespoons fish sauce1 tablespoon honey1 teaspoon pepper1 teaspoon saltMethod1. To make the banana leaves malleable so they don’t break, run each leaf over a flame or hot plate to soften it. Place each softened leaf on a large piece of baking paper. 2. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir.3. Place the veggies, tofu and non-sauce seasonings in the center of each banana leaf and drizzle the sauce over the top. 4. Wrap it all up so the baking paper completely surrounds the outside, like a parcel.5. Steam for 25 minutes and serve with steamed sticky rice.