Lara Lee

Lara Lee · Coconut & Sambal

I first tasted the Chinese-influenced dish of kwetiau in the city of Medan, North Sumatra, at the restaurant of Ibu Huey, a lady whose name means 'fire' in Chinese, and one which seems apt when watching the flames lick up the edge of her carbon-steel wok as she stir-fries. Standing in front of her restaurant in a leopard-print blouse and knickerbockers, she flash-fries to order, serving up steaming plates of flat rice noodles with slices of marinated pork, prawns and scrambled duck egg. A signature dish of Medan, this is one of my all-time favourite stir-fries, a dish I return to again and again.

Lara Lee · A Splash Of Soy

The first bite of this banana pudding may well result in an exuberant ‘aaah’ moment, such is the beauty of the golden crumb of this magnificent cake. Soy sauce caramel soaks deep inside the banana sponge, adding moisture and soy’s savoury complexity. It’s a dessert worthy of a celebration, and lasts for several days in the fridge, magically reborn in just a few seconds in the microwave (or a few minutes in the oven, covered in foil). Inspired by the sticky toffee puddings of the early 2000s, when they were hugely popular in the Australian dining scene, the magnificence of a soft and sticky sponge soaked in butterscotch has always stayed with me as the most comforting and perfect end to a meal. Layered with unique flavours, each spoonful invites a new taste; on one chew it’s the gooey ripeness of banana, on the next bite it’s soy and buttery caramel, then it’s the gentle warmth of ginger or the subtle hint of spice. This works beautifully with vanilla ice cream, clotted cream or whip