Poh's ultimate guide to winter cooking: MasterChef star shares her kitchen secrets - from her favourite curry you DON'T need a recipe for to the four 'imperative' seasonal veggies

MasterChef star Poh Ling Yeow has offered her ultimate guide to winter cooking
Cook said a mistake many make is assuming 'flavour comes from adding more'
However, the 48-year-old explained how food tastes better when less is added
She also shared her cooking shortcuts and her favourite 'no-recipe' curry

Published: 17:29 BST, 7 August 2021 | Updated: 17:29 BST, 7 August 2021

e-mail

MasterChef Australia star Poh Ling Yeow has offered her ultimate guide to seasonal cooking in the cooler months and why she will always have cauliflower, broccoli, kale and cabbage stocked in her kitchen.

The celebrity cook, from Adelaide, said one of the biggest mistakes people make with cooking was assuming 'flavour comes from adding more ingredients'.

But the 48-year-old insists food tastes better by following the mantra 'less is more'.

'If you support local and buy seasonally, the ingredients would have travelled fewer miles and are picked at their optimal state, so it takes less effort for the produce to shine,' Poh told Daily Mail Australia.

'When produce is at its best, olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon is usually all you need. Sometimes heat isn't even necessary, and raw is best.'

Poh's six tips for 'mindful' cooking

Poh eating her favourite congee dish

1. Slow cooking: There's nothing I love more than throwing generous chunks of gravy beef, root vegetables, some stout and seasoning into a slow cooker

2. It's the season for slowing down: Make those recipes that don't just satisfy your belly but also feed your soul

3. Stock up on legumes, pulses, and rice: Cook them, mash them, blend them or stir them into stew, broth dishes to add texture, bulk, and heartiness

4. Gathering the troops and make light work of old-fashioned favourites: Can you guess I'm dreaming of dumplings?

5. Use spice: Whether it's a stick of cinnamon in a hot chocolate or crafting some delicious curries, take some warming inspiration from your spice rack

6. Use your oven: Winter is the time for treating the family with baked goodies. Get the family involved

One of the things the cookbook author loves about winter is making hearty dishes in her slow cooker.

'It's no secret that winter is synonymous with comfort eating so get out your pressure cookers and iron pots to indulge in those old fashioned feel-good dishes,' she said.

'There's nothing I love more than throwing generous chunks of gravy beef, root vegetables, some stout and seasoning into a slow cooker and coming home to the most heartwarming meal that's essentially cooked itself.'

She said the slow cooker is perfect for preparing time-consuming dishes with minimal effort.

'Slow cook secondary meat cuts covered in seasoned water, shred the meat and freeze nestled in its own stock for those nights you want a stew or ragu and don't have time for a slow cook,' she said.

'Just add aromatics, herbs, vegetables, and a tin of tomatoes.'

Poh returned to MasterChef earlier this year as a guest judge, leaving contestants star struck

The celebrity cook, from Adelaide, said one of the biggest mistakes people make with cooking was assuming 'flavour comes from adding more ingredients'. However, the 48-year-old explained how food tastes better when less is more

Poh's 'no-recipe' trick for cooking her cauliflower, kale and lentil curry

Poh said the best thing about her simple no-recipe curry is that you can use whatever you have in your pantry so it's always easily prepared, tasty and nourishing

The curry begins with a large brown onion sautéed in butter or ghee until soft and brown with a good handful of fresh curry leaves, a teaspoon of black mustard seeds and chilli powder to taste.

Next, add a tin of coconut milk, season with salt or fish sauce, then add whatever your heart desires - seafood, chicken, or pork and if you're vegetarian or vegan.

Before tossing in roughly cut broccoli, kale, lentils, chickpeas, or tofu and serve with basmati, jasmine, or long grain rice. So versatile and impossible to get wrong.

If you're strapped for time, Poh said using a pressure cooker can cut your cooking time by at least 50 per cent.

Another great way to make make quick dinners, especially for busy weeknights is having microwave rice pouches on hand. She prefers SunRice.

Poh's top three cooking shortcuts

1. Using a pressure cooker can cut your cook times up by over 50 per cent.

2. Slow cook secondary meat cuts covered in seasoned water. Shred the meat and freeze nestled in its own stock for those nights you want a stew or ragu and don't have time for a slow cook. Just add aromatics, herbs, vegetables, and a tin of tomatoes.

3. The SunRice microwave rice pouches are perfect for a bowl of last-minute fried rice if you get caught out without chilled rice.

'It's perfect for a bowl of last-minute fried rice if you get caught out without chilled rice. Pour the rice directly into the pan without heating first - this keeps the grains tender but nicely separated,' Poh said.

'It's great for the nights you want to belt out a quick stir fry for dinner but don't have time to wait for the rice to cook from scratch - a more convenient option than takeaway.'

For quick, easy and budget-friendly meals, Poh said she can't get enough of her two favourite winter dishes: cauliflower, kale and lentil curry and Chinese chicken congee, a type of rice porridge.

She said the dishes are simple to make because you can use whatever you have in your pantry.

'I love them for a few reasons - they're hearty, delicious, wholesome, and so easy to make you don't need a recipe.'

The curry dish can be prepared in a few simple steps.

'Start with a large brown onion sauteed in butter or ghee until soft and brown with a good handful of fresh curry leaves, a teaspoon of black mustard seeds and chilli powder to taste,' she said.

'Next, add a tin of coconut milk, season with salt or fish sauce, then add whatever your heart desires - seafood, chicken, or pork.

'Before tossing in roughly cut broccoli, kale, lentils, chickpeas, or tofu and serve with basmati, jasmine, or long grain rice. So versatile and impossible to get wrong.'

Poh rose to fame on MasterChef back in 2009 (left), where she finished runner-up. Poh appeared on MasterChef Australia: Back To Win 2020 (right) where she was placed sixth

Poh said one of her go-to winter dishes to make is her Chinese chicken congee (pictured), which is a type of rice porridge

As for congee, she said it was all about 'the holy trinity of Chinese dishes'.

'Combine garlic, ginger, and spring onion sautéed in olive oil until fragrant, then add plenty of chicken stock, very little rice, a small amount of chicken to poach, then shred back into the bubbling pot,' she said.

'Season with light soy or fish sauce and simmer until you have a thick soupy texture, then finish with a good handful of shredded fresh ginger, roughly chopped coriander, and a good swig of sesame oil.'

For seasonal ingredients, Poh said 'brassicas are winter imperatives' so you'll always find her cooking with cauliflower, broccoli, kale, and cabbage.

'I love them all - cauliflower, broccoli, or kale, tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roasted on high heat until edges are gorgeously charred, then finished with a squeeze of lemon - that's one of my favourite solo dinners,' she said.

'Fennel with the same seasoning but charred on a wrought iron skillet, so there's a residual crunch, fresh with the flavour of anise but then grounded in smokiness is delicious.

'Another favourite is cabbage, whether white, red or savoy, braised in a touch of water, butter, a pinch of sugar, lemon zest and a splash of apple cider vinegar - a perfect winter accompaniment to roasts, pies or a grilled piece of protein.'

Poh's money-saving cooking tips

Meal planning: You shop specifically for recipes and quantities, which equates to less to zero wastage

Re-purpose leftovers into fried rice, soups, or stews

Buy secondary meat cuts: They're cheaper and perfect for wintry slow-cooked dishes like ragus, stews, soups and roasts

Shop seasonally: It follows the natural order of things - whatever is in season is what the earth wants to provide, what your body needs and what is in surplus.