Recipes with a vegan twist
As the turmoil of Covid19 continues to swirl globally, here in our little corner of the world it is time to celebrate our wonderful food professionals. Rebecca Fox talks to Kind Company’s chef Sophia Craig about cooking when you live in a flat of five.
How often do you cook?
We often cook individually as we all work and are home different times of the day, but I have cooked for everyone on occasion, especially through lockdown — we had nothing to do but cook!
Are you vegan/vegetarian?
I am vegan. I went vegetarian four years ago, and made the shift to veganism three years ago. I originally went vegan for health reasons. I left school and started studying and I began to feel extremely run down. I wasn't prioritising my health or my diet, and it was having a negative impact on my mental and physical health. I decided to go vegan for four weeks and assess how I felt, and that month genuinely changed my life. Apart from feeling physically refreshed, it also gave me a whole new view on cooking and fresh motivation. I really enjoyed the challenge of creating traditional recipes with alternative ingredients, using products and methods I may not have explored otherwise. Being a foodie, I honestly thought I'd be limited by choosing a vegan lifestyle, but I've learnt so much and continue to do so every day! The vegan food world is a fastgrowing, revolutionary space to be involved in — I love it.
If there are fussy eaters or people with allergies that you cook for how do you deal with that?
Considering I am usually the fussy eater in my group of friends, cooking for those with allergies usually isn't an issue. It comes naturally to cook dairyfree, and I'm slowly building up a repertoire of glutenfree recipes, too. I enjoy the challenge.
What kind of food do you like to cook?
I love Asian fusion cooking! I especially love the spicy and fresh flavours that come with Thai cooking. There's something so comforting about those flavours, and I love any excuse to cook with a wok.
What is your goto dish when time is tight?
Any kind of stirfry. So quick to throw together and you can add whatever veges you have in the fridge. Simple to flavour — my goto is satay or soy, garlic and sesame. It's also easily made glutenfree, if I'm cooking for others. I also keep pizza dough and dumpling dough in the freezer for quick meals!
What are your favourite flavours to cook with?
At the moment, I'm loving cooking with Chinese fivespice. It has such a savoury sweet flavour with hints of fennel and star anise. It works well with sesame oil and soy sauce . . . I just love to cook with it. Otherwise, I love cooking with chocolate and coffee!
What is always in your fridge/pantry?
Sriracha sauce, chilli oil, garlic and crunchy peanut butter. They are staples.
What won't we ever find in your fridge?
Meat, naturally.
How long have you been a chef?
I've been cooking at home since I was little, but I did complete a bachelor's degree in culinary arts here in Dunedin. I worked as a chef fulltime for a year poststudy before coming to work at Kind Company.
What is your favourite thing to cook?
Vegetarian lasagne might be one of my favourite things to make when I have the time. It was one of my favourite foods growing up, and my mum used to make it for my friends and I every birthday. There's a lot of love that goes into a good, wholesome lasagne!
If we came for dinner at your place, what would you most likely serve?
A very special vegetarian lasagne.