HIBER-NATION:

Though strict lockdown and isolation rules are gently easing around the country — with friends and family now able to visit, hooray! — Mehigan says it’s still a great time to get the kids involved in the nightly meal as a way to both alleviate stayat-home boredom and get them really interested in cooking.

Such things as choosing a country or cuisine and cooking dishes together is a way to remain inspired, he says.

“We can’t get to our favourite restaurants, so why not give it a go. We’ve done Vietnamese, we’ve done Mexican. Done burger nights. And they’re kind of fun. I’m almost tempted to put out a little tent card letting everyone know what’s coming up, so they can look forward to Vietnamese night, for example,” Mehigan says.

The host of the popular Plate To Call Home podcast says the slower pace forced by lockdown offers the opportunity to get the kids involved in something they ordinarily wouldn’t be interested in.

“When you have that little extra bit of brain space to dedicate to your family, cooking is not a chore. You’ve got the tools to do it, why not,” he says. “I’ve certainly found that the pleasure of a little extra time, rather than everybody working, or at uni, being busy, rushing through the door and always needing to be doing something else, it allows you time to do stuff you don’t normally do.”

DIY fast food — think burgers, banh mi, fried rice — is an easy entree for kids to get involved in the kitchen.

“Create your own fast food dinner. Make a burger — but using the term burger in the broadest way. It could be a lamb kofta, or put a piece of fish in it with miso mayo and pickled ginger and cucumber ribbons, or a classic with your cheap sliced cheese, tomato sauce, sweet mustard and pickles.”

“We did two series of Junior MasterChef and the thing that taught me a lot, is left to their own devices, giving them a job and letting them get on with it themselves, whether it works or not, is kind of the key,” Mehigan says.

“Give them a safety briefing at the beginning — be careful because that gets hot, et cetera, then they’re perfectly capable of using the toaster, getting stuck into the toasty machine, using a mixer, because they’re good listeners, unlike adults.

“You might not think that for your own children, but when they go to school, they learn lots of stuff, and you’re not involved, which you have to try and remember.

“Give them a bit of space. If you’re constantly taking over or telling them what to do, they’ll quickly lose interest and go and watch television.”

While adults across Australia have turned to tending a sourdough starter as a way to get through the coronacrisis, Mehigan says making bread with the kids is a fantastic way to get them interested in the science of cooking.

“Introduce them to a simple noknead bread,” he says.

Mix together 500g flour, 400ml water, 1 tsp salt and 5g yeast. Mix it all together, leave in the fridge overnight and bake in the morning.

“It will be rustic, not perfect, but oh, so delicious. You’ll have fresh bread rolls in an hour.”