THE DISH
Book it, eat it, buy it
1. BRING ON ANOTHER
Sidart is celebrating a decade of progressive fine-dining with a birthday lunch next month. In the spirit of celebration, there is a gift for diners. The five-course tasting menu priced at $200 per person, comes with a glass of champagne on arrival, and each two guests will take home a koha box of favourite artisan products from Sid Sahrawat, wife Chand and the team. Sidart has also introduced a new a la carte menu, alongside its usual five or seven-course tasting menu, with wine matching available for both options. Sunday, September 15. Reserve tickets by emailing reservations@sidart.co.nz
2. MEET THE MAKER: AMINO MANTRA
Delicious and nutritious, we’re loving these plant-based patties for a speedy meal. The gourmet patties are designed by husband-and-wife team Pritesh and Trang Duong-Kajara, a chef and a food scientist respectively. Available in five flavours, the patties are ready in minutes in a hot pan, oven or microwave. The cute packaging is recyclable and compostable. $18 for a pack of four. Available at Farro Fresh stores and online at Aminomantra.co.nz
Aside from being delicious, what makes the patties healthy? Pritesh: They are mostly made of organic vegetables, provide essential legumes proteins, and seeds, dietary which fibre and good fatty acids. We don’t use any gluten, soy, extract proteins or fillers.
Which is great for a winter meal? The Italian black truffle and thyme patties served on mashed potatoes or roasted vegetables with a red wine sauce.
How else can the patties be served? They can be cut into pieces and stuffed into sushi rolls, dumplings, ravioli, or in a wrap. They can also be served on pasta, salad or pizza.
Why do you care about eating less meat? To reduce the carbon footprint in our diet and improve our gut health. Over time, we can feel how eating less meat makes us feel more energised and much lighter.
3. FOOD FOR THOUGHT
• In a world-first for the food industry, Meadow Mushrooms is creating ecofriendly packaging out of mushroom stalks for its products. Meadowmushrooms.co.nz
• From the insect snack company Eat Crawlers, comes a new up-market range of insect-based products. The Tomorow
Foods range has a high-protein cricket pasta and a cricket flour for use in baking and pancakes. Tomorrowfoods.co.nz
• Blue Frog is hoping to swap sugary cereals on the breakfast table in New Zealand with its new Coco Munch: a natural mix of puffed rice, cocoa powder and coconut sugar. It’s a low-sugar version of the childhood favourite. $7 a box at Bluefrogbreakfast.co.nz