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41 Articles

If you want to know something, ask a poet. This issue, their expert subject is weeds. “What is a weed?” mused Ralph Waldo Emerson before answering his own question: “A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” Ella Wheeler Wilcox put it a bit more succinctly: “A weed is but an unloved flower.” The thing is many weeds are simply unlovable and their virtues undiscoverable, which is why we call them weeds. Getting rid of them can be a painful process — especially if you have to pull them by hand — so we’ve rounded up a selection of safe, organic ways to combat them before they take over your plot. Speaking of Roundup, did you know it’s standard practice for builders to require home blocks to be sprayed with weed killer before construction…

JO IMMIG Jo is an environmental scientist, photographer and writer. She has worked in the environment movement for decades and is co-ordinator of the National Toxics Network, an organisation dedicated to creating a toxic-free future. She has written many articles for magazines and is the author of two books: Toxic Playground and Safer Solutions. FUNGI TO THE RESCUE Is there nothing fungi can’t do? They are effective medicines for mind and body and are being used to grow compostable biomaterials, replacing polluting plastics. They can also aid in the remediation of polluted soil and sequester carbon. Fungi are literally everywhere and most of them are yet to be described. Initially thought of as plants, fungi are now recognised as a kingdom of their own and include yeasts, moulds, mushrooms and truffles. Unlike plants, which have…

What’s hot RIGHT NOW

CHLOE THOMSON A horticulturist, writer, presenter and passionate organic gardener, Chloe uses her social media profile Bean There Dug That to educate and inform likeminded gardeners, using fun, creative videos and posts. Find her on Facebook and Instagram @beantheredugthat LAVENDER ‘PINKBERRY RUFFLES’ PBR, LAVANDULA PEDUNCULATA HYBRID The plant: A beautiful new lavender in the Lavinnova range by Plants Management Australia, ‘Pinkberry Ruffles’ is a compact lavender smothered in dark-purple flowers with light-pink “wings” or “ruffles” throughout spring and summer. With silver-green foliage, this is an easy-to-grow lavender that really puts on a show! Growing: A brilliant lavender for containers and feature plantings — or show off its spectacular colour by planting along borders and path edges. Once established, this is a waterwise plant that can tolerate dry spells but will appreciate a soak during extreme…

What’s hot RIGHT NOW

THAT MANUKA BUZZ

There was a time when Leptospermum scoparium was known to gardeners mainly as a pretty native shrub, commonly called tea tree. Then came the rise of manuka honey and its associated health benefits — and suddenly our native tea tree had an international profile. For many years there’s been a tussle between producers of the honey in New Zealand and Australia. The Kiwis felt they had dibs on the trademark name “manuka”; Australia disagreed. Naming rights are especially important on the export market. Manuka grows in both countries and its name has been used in Australia from at least the 1930s to describe the plant. However, since 2016, New Zealand’s Manuka Honey Appellation Society has been trying to block Australian honey producers from using the name “manuka” in export markets, claiming the word is…

THAT MANUKA BUZZ

A PLANT WITH FIBRE

Perennial cotton (Gossypium arboreum) is just that — perennial — which means it will last for more than one season. In fact, it will happily live for quite a few years. One of G. arboreum’s better-known relatives, G. hirsutum, is the world’s most widely cultivated cotton species. Also a short-lived perennial, it’s never commercially grown as such but invariably as an annual. Of the 50 or so species in the Gossypieae tribe, perennial (or tree) cotton is one of just four grown commercially today — and then only in India and Pakistan. G. arboreum’s origins lie within the Indus Valley Civilisation. Threads of Gossypium found in Mehrgarh, Pakistan, were used to string copper beads as far back as 7000 years ago. Fabrics made from cotton closely related to G. arboreum dating to around 3000…

A PLANT WITH FIBRE

A new study suggests that a group of plants First Nations people have used as food for millennia could be a nutritious alternative to salt and even a future bushfoods business opportunity. The research was carried out by University of Queensland PhD candidate Sukirtha Srivarathan, from the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI). “Edible halophytes like samphire, seablite, saltbush and sea purslane have nutritional benefits and bioactive properties,” she says. “They’ve been used for more than 65,000 years as food — especially during drought — because they grow all year round.” A halophyte — from the Greek words for “salt” and “plant” — is a salt-tolerant plant that thrives in various high-salinity environments, from beaches and coastal mangrove swamps to inland marshes and near-arid semi-desert. Some are purely aquatic and some, such as…

The beet goes on

While these days beetroot is prized for its waste-free, root-to-tip edibility, the ancient Greeks didn’t care for the root at all, eating just the leaves and offering the valuable taproot to their gods. By the 16th century, records show beetroot being grown for the consumption of the root and it quickly became a staple vegetable throughout north-eastern Europe. Beets have been used medicinally throughout history. Hippocrates is said to have used the leaves to bind and seal wounds while Roman physicians prescribed eating the root to cure constipation and fevers. It’s the antioxidant pigments called betalains that give most varieties their rosy hue. In the 19th century, the red colourants were popular as cheek and lip stain. Today beetroot is touted as a superfood and betalains are studied for their potential therapeutic benefits. If you…

The beet goes on

A COOK’S PATCH

As a chef for 33 years, Glen Barratt has a special interest in growing edibles — so it comes as no surprise that he would plan his garden around permaculture principles. Glen, Justine and their five adult children, plus two dogs and three horses, live on three acres in picturesque Camp Mountain, a small community just far enough northwest of Brisbane to be regarded as rural. Half the property is a cleared ridge exposed to the elements; the rest is cliffs and embankments, a seasonal watercourse and alluvial flats with remnant scrub and forest, creating a variety of microclimates cooler and moister than surrounding areas. Glen’s first job as a teenager was four hours a week maintaining an elderly neighbour’s garden opposite his family home in Scarborough. It must have left an impression. Around…

NURTURE BY NATURE

Two years ago, when Karen Lambeck and Bill Harvey bought their property in Yabberup in southwest Western Australia, it was the realisation of a 10-year dream to own a farm they could live off in a sustainable way. After 20-plus years in the mining industry, Karen felt she’d lost touch with her core belief in a natural lifestyle. Bill meanwhile was away working for long periods. “It was not how we wanted to live our lives,” says Karen. At Yabberup, around 20 minutes east of Donnybrook, Karen now runs a nature and wellness haven called Karrabilli Retreat. “We love to encourage people to immerse themselves in the healing properties of nature as a way of reducing stress and coming back to themselves,” she says. It goes without saying that theirs is a chemical-free household…

NURTURE BY NATURE

John Bowskill’s vegetable garden is something different and the name of his business is a bit of a giveaway: it’s called Margaret River Aquafarm. Basically, it’s powered by water. Water and fish, to be exact. At the centre of his 126-acre property in Forest Grove, Western Australia, surrounded by Margaret River’s famous vineyards, is a 400m2 greenhouse that contains an aquaponics garden. Aquaponics is a sustainable, closed circular system in which the input is fish food and the output is vegetables plus fish. The fish waste fertilises the plants and the plants filter the water. As the farm’s website sums it up, “The plants help the fish and the fish help the plants.” “Aquaponics is not a typical method of growing plants,” John says. “I don’t think it really fits neatly into any other classification…

JULY 2023 Winter is the time for growing nourishing, warming brassicas and root vegies, along with broad beans, bright snowpeas, sugar snaps and leafy greens. AUGUST 2023 The end of winter is more like the start of spring in many parts, so it’s time to prepare your beds for spring plantings and to start crop from seed if you haven’t already. New moon First quarter Full moon Last quarter When the moon is waxing from new to full moon, it is increasing light and drawing sap flow upwards. During the waning from full moon back to new moon, light decreases and sap is drawn downwards. This movement of sap flow has an influence on how well new plants will grow. There are four phases, each lasting seven to eight days. Sowing, planting and taking cuttings should not be…

COOL & HIGHLANDS JULY Artichoke, asparagus, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, endive, fennel, Jerusalem artichoke, lettuce, mustard greens, onion, peas, radish, shallots, snow peas, spinach AUGUST Artichoke, asparagus, broad beans, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, endive, Jerusalem artichoke, kohlrabi, lettuce, mustard greens, onion, parsnip, peas, potato, radish, snow peas, swede, spinach, turnip TEMPERATE JULY Artichoke, asparagus, broad beans, broccoli, cabbage, celeriac, celery, endive, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, lettuce, mustard greens, onion, parsnip, peas, potato, radish, rhubarb, snow peas, spinach, spring onion, sugar snap peas AUGUST Artichoke, asparagus, beetroot, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, celery, Chinese cabbage, endive, fennel, Jerusalem artichoke, kale, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, mizuna, mustard greens, onion, pak choy, parsnip, peas, potato, radish, rocket, silverbeet, snow peas, spinach, spring onion, sugar snap peas, turnip SUBTROPICAL JULY Artichoke, asparagus, beans, beetroot, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrot, celeriac, celery, endive, fennel, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke,…

FRUIT OF THE ANDES

Cape gooseberries, also known as Inca berries, goldenberries or Peruvian groundcherries, are frost-sensitive perennial plants typically grown as annuals in cooler climates. Native to Peru and Chile, the Cape gooseberry came to us via the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, where it was cultivated before the turn of the 19th century. It soon became popular with early European settlers in Australia when they realised it was fast and easy to grow, even in our harsh conditions. Bright-gold berries, sheathed in a papery lantern-like calyx, cover the bush in late summer into autumn. Ripe and the size of cherry tomatoes, the berries can be eaten straight from the plant for an explosion of juicy, sweet and tart flavour. They can be cooked into chutneys or dried to enjoy as an on-the-go snack, or…

FRUIT OF THE ANDES

THE RAINBOW ROOT

Growing carrots can be a bit hit and miss, but the excitement of harvest and the flavour of that first homegrown crunch can make growing your own worth another try. There are two important things to do to grow carrots successfully. The first is to prepare the soil. Carrots need it loose, deep and free of clods, stones or other objects that get in the way of root growth. Deep, sandy soils are ideal. To prepare, dig the soil over but avoid adding extra nutrients, particularly fresh compost or manure, as they can lead to forking, the condition where carrots develop distorted shapes. If you can’t provide these conditions, grow small or baby carrots that don’t need extra depth. The second trick is getting the seed to germinate. Carrots take several weeks to sprout…

THE RAINBOW ROOT

Chives are rarely the focus of a how-to-grow story as they tend to be passed over in favour of close relatives such as onions, garlic or even leeks. This is probably because chives are easy to grow and tend to be taken for granted. They are very versatile and grow without too much attention, usually in the corner of a garden bed or in a pot on a sunny windowsill. But they deserve a bit more of the limelight. Chives grow to around 20–30cm high and tend to be happiest in clumps. They really come into their own in spring and summer when the flowers appear. The small flower heads — pink, mauve or white depending on the variety — are highly attractive to beneficial insects such as pollinators. They stand above the…

Green, leafy and loaded with nutrients, the group of vegies we collectively call Asian greens includes bok choy, mizuna, choy sum, wombok (or Chinese cabbage) and mustard greens, most of which you’ve probably heard of before. But there are some lesser-known Asian greens that fall under this umbrella, including edible chrysanthemum, tatsoi, perilla, kai-lan (gai lan) or Chinese broccoli, kang kong, celtuce and ‘Tokyo Bekana’, also called Chinese cabbage. Asian greens can be grown in all areas around Australia; the trick is finding the ones most suited to your climatic zone. At this time of year, Asian greens can be planted in most climates unless you have very heavy frosts. If you get regular frosts, look for varieties that are more tolerant of cold weather — or protect the seedlings while they’re young. GROWING Seedlings…

THOSE SMASHING AVOCADOS

As well as being on trend as far as cafe menus go, avocados are becoming very popular in backyard orchards around Australia, at least in part because of the availability of smaller trees. Avocados are usually seen as tall, shady trees with crops of delicious, egg-shaped green fruit. But recently they’ve had a bit of a makeover. Today, there’s a choice between tall and dwarf trees. Dwarf varieties, which produce normal-sized fruit, can be grown in a container, courtyard or mini-orchard on a suburban block. VARIETIES Avocados are native to Central America, including the West Indies, Guatemala and Mexico, but are grown around the world in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate zones — even in parts of Tasmania. Many are seed grown as they are easy to propagate from the round, hard kernel in the…

THOSE SMASHING AVOCADOS

THE AVOCADO’S CURIOUS POLLINATION HABITS

One of the oddest things about avocado is its ability to produce flowers that change sex. Most flowering plants have both male and female parts in one flower. Some have separate male and separate female flowers — sometimes, like kiwifruit, even on separate plants (known as monoecious). Avocados go their own way. They have flowers that change sex during the span of a single day. Although avocados are self-fertile and each flower contains both male and female parts, these parts mature at different times, so flowers morph from female to male (or vice versa). On some avocados, the flowers open in the morning with only the female parts mature. These then “close down” to make way for the male parts of the flower to open in the afternoon. In other varieties, the…

Most people think proteas are Australian natives, much like their close relatives waratah, banksia and grevillea. But proteas such as the popular cut flower ‘Pink Ice’, along with colourful leucadendrons and leucospermums, are native to South Africa. There is an Aussie link, so the story doesn’t end there. Our waratahs, banksias, grevilleas and hundreds of other native plants are classified in the large plant family Proteaceae, as are South African proteas. The plants in both countries share common ancestors from the time when Africa and Australia were part of an ancient landmass called Gondwana, which also included Antarctica, India and South America. Gondwana began to break apart during the Jurassic period (about 180 million years ago) — so, if you want to take the long view, proteas are natives. They certainly like similar growing conditions…

Lovely shrubbery

Australian gardeners are very familiar with the iconic bottlebrushes, those tough and adaptable native plants that survive and often thrive under a wide range of soils and different environmental conditions. Perhaps much less familiar is one of their close relatives, the genus Kunzea, perhaps because none of its species has a catchy common name like that of bottlebrush. If you haven’t already discovered the joys of this adaptable group, let’s go on a tour of what they have to offer your garden. Kunzeas are often highly ornamental, creating a splash of colour, often over many months, as well as attracting an array of nectar-feeding wildlife such as honeyeaters and spinebills. The essential oils of at least one species are highly medicinal, while yet another species provides a highly sought-after bush food. They also vary…

Lovely shrubbery

SPREADABLE EDIBLES

In the world of organic gardening and permaculture, we often talk about plants within “the system” having multiple purposes to justify their place in our sustainable patch. When it comes to growing a living mulch in the form of groundcover plants, the story remains the same: how many uses do the plants have that we’re choosing to grow? The main reasons we mulch are the same whether we use living plants or traditional mulches such as lucerne, sugarcane, tea tree, pine bark and so forth. Groundcover’s spreading prostrate growth can give us great green coverage and soil protection. This growth will stop light reaching the soil surface and help prevent weed growth. It will also keep the soil cool and slow down rain penetration. In addition, the plant roots will help prevent erosion. The added…

SPREADABLE EDIBLES

I am regularly asked to provide advice on how to rehabilitate trees after pest or disease attack. The following article guides gardeners through the process of diagnosing common problems and developing strategies to resolve pest issues in trees. Note that in previous articles we’ve discussed soil compaction and tree root diseases, which also affect tree health. TRIAGING AN UNWELL TREE The most common problem appearing in sick trees is defoliation or dieback. This is evident when branches die in patches or large areas of the tree become devoid of leaves, as shown. Dieback may be due to any of the following causes or a combination of them: • Insect attack• Soil compaction• Waterlogged soils• Fungal or mould diseases such as Phytophthora, which are sometimes associated with poor soil conditions or lack of airflow This article focuses on…

SAFE SOIL DETOX

Glyphosate, which is sold under trade names such as Roundup, is the highest-selling and most heavily used agricultural and domestic herbicide in the world. It has become so commonplace that supermarkets sell it — despite the fact that, in March 2015, based on mounting research evidence, the World Health Organization upgraded its status to a class-2A carcinogen. Due to extensive agricultural use, glyphosate has become a major environmental pollutant that has been detected in soil, air, surface water and groundwater and even as a contaminant in food. Urban soils are often inadvertently contaminated due to careless spraying by government contractors and the general public, including neighbours who illegally poison trees along property boundaries. Building companies are also instructing landowners to spray their blocks with herbicide before construction commences. The large quantity required for such…

SAFE SOIL DETOX

Weeds are opportunists. Show ’em an empty patch of earth and they’re on it in no time flat. Even better, a plot that’s just been dug over or a pile of new dirt brought in for a garden. Sometimes, their seeds even arrive unnoticed in a batch of freshly purchased soil. Newly turned earth is perfect for weeds because it’s loose and friable, so seeds arriving on the wind or in the guts of passing birds will quickly find purchase, germinate easily and send down roots that will dig right in. Yes, weeds are opportunists. What’s more, in many cases they were there first, meaning they’re fully adapted to local conditions and more than ready to outcompete anything you’d rather be growing. Even organic gardeners have their limits. A weed may well be a…

I love eggs: their taste, their appearance and how clever nature has been to ensure everything a chick embryo needs is packaged within the shell. Eggs are amazing. Consider the wonderment on a child’s face when they handle a fresh warm egg. I like to think I know a good egg when I see one, but you can never know too much when it comes to managing hens. NUTRITION COUNTS Egg contents reflect the food and nutrients a hen has eaten. If you want nutritious eggs, you need to offer feed that meets all of a laying bird’s needs: carbohydrates, protein and the correct ratio of vitamins and minerals, plus fresh greens. Treats can be a trap because chooks soon prefer them to their regular diet and this may skew the nutritional balance. At risk…

THINGS TO DO IN JULY

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES • The second month of winter doesn’t mean down tools: you can keep the greens coming by sowing seeds or planting seedlings every few weeks. Vegies you can still plant from seed include brassicas, spinach, silverbeet, sweet peas, broad beans, peas and carrots. Try some coriander as well.• In more temperate areas, add lettuce, celery, potato, radish and garlic to the list. Also worthy of consideration are Jerusalem artichokes — but put them in a pot or they can take over.• It’s not too late to plant perennials like asparagus and rhubarb. Grown from crowns, they do best in well-prepared beds with added organic matter.• Every week or so, apply organic liquid fertiliser to cabbages, rocket and lettuce to stimulate growth.• Don’t take your eyes off those winter…

THINGS TO DO IN JULY

THINGS TO DO IN AUGUST

COOL & TEMPERATE VEGIES • In cooler climes there still may be cold snaps ahead, so hold off for now on basil and vegies such as tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, capsicums, pumpkins and zucchinis.• In temperate zones, the frosts are hopefully well and truly over so now’s the time to put in some Asian greens, beetroot, broccoli, celery, leeks, parsnip, peas, radish, rocket and spinach. You could also consider planting potatoes.• Seeds and seedlings that don’t mind changeable weather include snow peas, lettuce, spring onions, silverbeet and herbs. Broad beans can go in, too, but only in cool temperate areas.• Other plants to consider at the moment are parsley, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower. If you’re trying Jerusalem artichokes, put them in a pot or they could take over.• To get a head-start with…

THINGS TO DO IN AUGUST

Health news FROM THE WELLBEING DESK

CUPPA ANTI-INFLAMMATORY Polyphenols are antioxidant compounds found in fruit, vegetables and drinks such as tea and coffee. In a new study, researchers investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of polyphenols when they were combined with proteins such as those in milk or meat. They created artificial inflammation in immune cells then applied either polyphenols alone or polyphenols that had reacted with proteins to the cells. The immune cells with the polyphenol/protein combination applied were twice as effective at fighting inflammation as the cells with polyphenols alone. In another study, the researchers showed that the proteins from milk quickly bind to the polyphenols in coffee. The next step is to see whether the anti-inflammatory boost happens when humans ingest the protein–polyphenol combo. According to the researchers, though, it’s easy to project that meat with…

Health news FROM THE WELLBEING DESK

Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is an edible annual flowering plant thought to have originated in ancient Persia. When introduced to India and China it was known as the “Persian vegetable”. The earliest written record comes from China around 647 CE and, by the 12th century, spinach was a popular vegetable in the Arab Mediterranean. Its popularity in England and France in the 14th century was due to its appearance in early spring when there were few other vegetables available. The name Florentine given to dishes containing spinach, often with a creamy sauce, is thought to date from the 16th century when it was the favourite food of French queen Catherine de’ Medici, who came from Florence. It’s the leaves of spinach that are eaten. These days, botanically, spinach is in the goosefoot family that also…

THE BUZZ ON NATIVE BEES

Bees pollinate more than 80 per cent of the world’s flowering plants, according to a 2022 report into native bees by AgriFutures Australia. While the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) gets most of the credit, there are more than 20,000 other bee species worldwide and research suggests the contribution of wild bees to pollination is even greater than that of the Apis genus. With bees of all kinds increasingly under threat from pesticides, climate change, habitat loss and parasites such as the Varroa mite, native bees have been thrust into the spotlight. Seemingly unaffected by Varroa and viewed as a saving grace for the planet, native pollinators have become the subject of growing fascination. MELIPONICULTURE While there are approximately 1700 native bee species across Australia, only 11 of these live in communal hives within a rigid,…

THE BUZZ ON NATIVE BEES

HOME SWEET HOME STEAD

A retro lifestyle based on providing for our own practical needs, homesteading focuses on activities like growing food and producing our own energy and household products. With food, fuel and power bills on the rise, it’s a good time to get onboard. While associated with the back-to-the-land movement, elements of homesteading can be practised almost anywhere, including in the city. Benefits include reduced costs, connection to nature and a greater sense of security. It’s also easier on the environment — items made at home accrue fewer food miles and contribute fewer pollutants. GETTING STARTED Homesteading requires time, energy, knowledge, skills and practice. Begin with something you enjoy. To build skills, explore the range of courses, DIY books, blogs and niche magazines on subjects like permaculture, herbal medicine, Indigenous crafts, building and so on — whatever appeals…

HOME SWEET HOME STEAD

FRESH AND LOCAL

IN SEASON JULY FRUITS Apples, avocados, bananas, cumquats, custard apples, dates, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, nashi, olives, oranges (Navel), papayas, pineapples, pomelos, quinces, rhubarb, strawberries, tangelos VEGIES Asian greens, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, fennel, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, shallots (eschalots), silverbeet, spinach, swedes, sweet potato, turnips, witlof IN SEASON AUGUST FRUITS Apples, avocados, bananas, cumquats, grapefruit, kiwifruit, lemons, limes, mandarins, olives, oranges (blood, Navel), pawpaw, pineapples, pomelos, rhubarb, strawberries, tangelos VEGIES Asian greens, beetroot, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, fennel, garlic, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, okra, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, silverbeet, spinach, swedes, sweet potato, turnips, witlof SEASONAL TIP Why are Jerusalem artichokes known as “fartichokes”? The tasty tuber we know as Jerusalem artichoke has many names: sunchoke, earth apple, wild sunflower (the…

FRESH AND LOCAL

Garden to table

98 Pea & browned onion pullao 99 Boat Basin chaat plate 100 Achari gosht 101 Dadi’s banana & fennel seed gulgulay doughnuts Images and text from Andaza by Sumayya Usmani, photography by Alicia Taylor. Murdoch Books RRP $45.00 Andaza translates as “estimation” and the author’s mother, who ignored recipes and measured ingredients with her hands and spices with her fingers, once told her daughter, “You can’t cook with words.” Luckily for us, Andaza contains plenty of words. The story of her journey from her birthplace in Karachi via a childhood on merchant ships to law school in Glasgow is interleaved with family recipes for Pakistani favourites. But feel free to make the recipes your own because Usmani insists that “recipes don’t need to be written. Like storytelling, they guide you through an unfamiliar terrain……

Garden to table

PEA & BROWNED ONION PULLAO

SERVES: 4–6 An equally satisfying meat-free version of my mother’s pullao. Prep time: 15 minutes + 1 hour soaking Cooking time: 45 minutes INGREDIENTS • 250g (1¼ cups) brown basmati rice• 2 tablespoons ghee• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds• 1 star anise• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds• 1 black cardamom pod• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns• 1 large red onion, cut into half-moons• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic• 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger• 150g (1 cup) fresh or frozen peas• salt, to taste• 2 green chillies, deseeded & finely chopped• Greek-style yoghurt, to serve METHOD 1. Rinse the rice, then leave it to soak in a bowl of water for 1 hour. 2. Melt the ghee in a heavy-based saucepan (one that has a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, star anise, coriander seeds, black cardamom pod and peppercorns…

PEA & BROWNED ONION PULLAO

BOAT BASIN CHAAT PLATE

SERVES: 2–4 This is a recipe based on the chaat I used to sneak out and eat on dates with Danesh when I was a teenager. You can find the chaat masala spice blend and crispy sev noodles in Asian shops or online. Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes INGREDIENTS • 2–3 large potatoes, peeled & cubed• 2 teaspoons sunflower oil• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds• 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder• 1 teaspoon chaat masala• Salt, to taste• 1 green chilli, finely chopped• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves• 3–4 tablespoons sev (crisp, savoury noodles made with chickpea flour)• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds• Juice of 1 lime For the yoghurt topping • 100g (⅓ cup) full-fat Greek-style yoghurt, whipped until smooth• ½ teaspoon crushed garlic• 1 tablespoon chopped mint• Salt, to taste METHOD 1. Boil…

BOAT BASIN CHAAT PLATE

SERVES: 4–6 A recipe I learnt by watching Naseem Aunty cook her legendary achari gosht. The name of this intensely flavoured dish comes from achar (pickle), as the spices used are generally associated with pickling. Eat with naan or basmati rice. Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes INGREDIENTS • 2 tablespoons ghee or sunflower oil• 3 red onions, thinly sliced• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger• 1 tablespoon crushed garlic• 4 tomatoes, roughly chopped• 300g full-fat Greek-style yoghurt• 500g chicken on the bone, such as thighs, cut into 12 pieces• Salt, to taste• ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder — or more if you prefer it hot• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder• Juice 1 lemon• 4–6 green finger chillies For the pickling spices • 1½ teaspoons fennel seeds• 1½ teaspoons brown mustard seeds• 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds• 1½…

DADI’S BANANA & FENNEL SEED GULGULAY DOUGHNUTS

MAKES: ABOUT A DOZEN SMALL DOUGHNUTS This recipe is based on my father’s recollection of his mother’s doughnuts — I think I must have got it right, as he seems to think they taste just like my Dadi’s! Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 10–15 minutes INGREDIENTS • 50g (⅓ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour• 3–4 green cardamom pods, cracked open, seeds extracted and ground — you need ½ teaspoon ground cardamom• ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds, ground• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)• 2 tablespoons icing sugar, plus 2 tablespoons extra for decoration• 1½ overripe bananas, mashed• 2 tablespoons full-cream milk or non-dairy alternative• 500mL (2 cups) sunflower oil METHOD 1. Begin by sifting the flour, cardamom, fennel, bicarbonate of soda and icing sugar into a bowl. Stir gently with a fork to combine. 2. Add the mashed…

DADI’S BANANA & FENNEL SEED GULGULAY DOUGHNUTS

MISTLETOES OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA By Tony Start & Kevin Thiele, CSIRO Publishing, $59.99 Australian mistletoes are a diverse group of plants that have little to do with the Northern Hemisphere’s Viscum album, familiar down under to anyone who’s ever received a Christmas card or stolen a yuletide kiss. But like V. album, Western Australia’s mistletoes are parasitic shrubs that grow on host plants from which they derive nutrients and water. They also contain chlorophyll and photosynthesise their own sugars while supporting many butterfly larvae and bird species in their own right — in fact, mistletoebirds and some honeyeaters rely on their berries. Profusely illustrated with striking colour photos and distribution maps, this handbook describes seven genera and 42 species of mistletoe in straightforward language (though there’s a handy glossary of technical terms).…

MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER

Common names: Sparshall’s moth, long-tailed bombyx Scientific name: Trichiocercus sparshalli It’s almost a law of nature that the most colourful of caterpillars will morph into a somewhat drab adult. So it is with Sparshall’s moth, a dowdy, pallid specimen that betrays none of the splendour of its wild and flaming youth — or, should we say, its larval stage. Found around most of Australia’s coastline feeding on various eucalypts, the bristly 4–5cm caterpillar starts life gregariously, travelling in large groups nose to tail. Later it becomes a loner before pupating in a silk cocoon among ground debris. As for its adult incarnation, the most interesting thing about it is that the moth was first described in 1830 by English entomologist John Curtis. Rather a long way from home, it was discovered, Curtis said, by…

MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER

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PICK OF THE CROP

12 ISSUES OF Good Organic Gardening magazine RRP $119.40 PLUS 2 CHOICES OF CSIRO Bookazines RRP $19.95 EACH ONLY $99 (Save over $60.30) From garden to table, Good Organic Gardening will inspire you to be in charge of your own fresh food. If you love growing your own produce, doing things in harmony with nature, and finding new ways of putting fresh food on the table, Good Organic Gardening magazine is for you. CALL 1300 303 414 OR VISIT UNIVERSALSHOP.COM.AU TO TAKE UP THIS EXCLUSIVE OFFER TODAY. QUOTE THE CODE: GG14.2 HURRY! OFFER ENDS 6TH JULY, 2023, WHILE STOCKS LAST. SUBSCRIBING MADE EASY 1300 303 414 and quote the code GG14.2 universalshop.com.au and enter code GG14.2 mailorder@umco.com.au SEND COUPON NOW Subscriptions Department, Reply Paid 75687, North Ryde NSW 1670 (02) 9805 0714 Subscriptions will commence with the first available issue. Existing subscriptions will simply be extended. Free gifts arrive separately to…

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