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Hetty McKinnon

Hetty McKinnon

Hetty McKinnon

Hetty McKinnon is a cook and food writer with a passion for vegetables.

Hetty McKinnon's vegan-friendly version of the classic dry curry.

Hetty McKinnon's vegan mushroom rendang

Rendang is a distinct dry curry with Indonesian and Malaysian roots. Traditionally it is made with beef that has been cooked low and slow in a melange of coconut, lemongrass and alliums. Powered by umami-packed mushrooms, this dish is faithful to traditional recipes and lacks nothing in the flavour department. Here, a robust paste is cooked down until it caramelises and clings to the mushrooms. The resulting curry-like stew is spicy, sweet, tangy and packs a punch.

  • 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Hetty McKinnon
Hetty McKinnon says frozen spinach is the magic ingredient in this simple vegetarian pasta.
EASY

Hetty McKinnon's spinach and walnut pesto pasta

This pasta dish is fresh and surprisingly herbaceous, even though it contains no herbs at all. Frozen spinach is the magic ingredient, providing earthy flavour while delivering a healthy dose of green power. Frozen spinach also turns out to be a fantastic and economical way to make pesto all year round. A small handful of walnuts adds richness and body to the irresistible pasta sauce while lemon zest and juice injects life and brightness into this crowd-pleasing dish.

  • < 30 mins
  • Hetty McKinnon
The lemony whipped feta works on its own as a dip, too.

Charred cauliflower salad with lemony whipped feta and pine nuts

This is a versatile, exciting dish to add to your Sunday dinner repertoire. Creamy, lively, fluffy whipped feta is full of salty charm, and is topped with irresistible smoky cauliflower and earthy pine nuts in a dish that will please the crowd. I love the sweetness of cauliflower, but you could also serve this with sauteed garlicky mushrooms, grilled eggplant or roasted broccoli. All you need is some crusty sourdough or flatbread to mop up all the punchy flavours.

  • < 30 mins
  • Hetty McKinnon
Garlicky, salty and heavy on the heat, this chilli oil is a real flavour bomb.

How to make garlicky chilli oil

Two spicy condiments from Hetty Lui McKinnon's new cookbook Tenderheart.

  • Hetty McKinnon
All kale the queen: Vegetable enthusiast and cookbook author Hetty Lui McKinnon.

The vegie Q and A: Hetty Lui McKinnon answers your vegetable cooking questions

Don't know whether to salt eggplant or how to boost the flavour of your vegetable dishes? The cookbook author comes to the rescue as she launches Tenderheart.

  • Hetty McKinnon
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Hetty McKinnon's broccoli wontons with umami crisp.

Four veg-forward recipes from Hetty McKinnon's new cookbook Tenderheart

The vegetarian cookbook author shares four recipes from her new book, Tenderheart, which celebrates her 22 favourite vegetables.

  • Hetty McKinnon
Spring onion oil noodles.
EASY

Spring onion oil noodles (cong you ban mian)

Originating in Shanghai, this noodle dish is small in ingredients but colossal in flavour. Slow-frying the spring onions in oil allows the liquid to evaporate, encourages gradual browning and infuses the oil with a rich oniony flavour. Most of the work in this dish is slicing the spring onions finely – this allows them to cook evenly. After bubbling gently in the oil for 25 minutes or so, they become caramelised and crispy.

  • 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Hetty McKinnon
Hetty McKinnon's vegan laksa.

Vegan laksa noodle soup

This Malaysian spicy coconut noodle soup is not only one of the most loved noodle soups in Australia, it is one of the most comforting noodle dishes of them all. This vegan version features a homemade paste which is as easy as throwing all the aromatics into a blender or food processor and whizzing them up. Make it spicier by increasing the amount of dried chilli flakes or sambal oelek.

  • 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Hetty McKinnon
This vegetarian shoyu ramen is easily adaptable.
EASY

Shoyu ramen with spinach and eggs

This dish is served in a soy-sauce based broth and it is one of the most popular forms of ramen in Tokyo. Vary your toppings according to what you have on hand, and add a spoon of chilli oil or doubanjiang (spicy bean paste) for a spicy shoyu broth.

  • 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Hetty McKinnon
Speedy, vegan -friendly pho.
EASY

Vegan pho with charred broccoli and tofu

This 30-minute pho brims with flavour but comes together in only a fraction of the time it takes to prepare a meat-based pho. Thirty minutes is the minimum cooking time but you could definitely cook for longer (1-1.5 hours on low heat) if you want to extract even more flavour from the aromatics.

  • 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Hetty McKinnon

Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/goodfood/by/hetty-mckinnon-h29n0q