Table of contents for Issue 125 Feb/Mar 2026 in Dish

In a time when there is incessant turmoil in the news, one thing is certain — gathering friends and family, to talk, laugh and enjoy good food together around the table has never been more important. And that’s where dish comes in. Our role is to help turn the focus to time spent together, with love, joy, authentic connection and, always, delicious food. As we start the year, I’d like to share something that many of you may not be aware of. dish is New Zealand’s number-one food and lifestyle title by a significant margin. Our sales have continued to grow year-on-year for the last six years, and now that growth is also happening in Australia. The reason I mention this is, in a world where digital noise is relentless…

1 Sarah Tuck, Editor ShanDong MaMa, Melbourne I love having a ‘man on the ground’ in Melbourne because whenever I visit I can be assured of a new gem of an eatery to discover, thanks to my eldest son! This time it was a tiny, low-key establishment in an arcade alley off Bourke Street in Chinatown. Break out the map, because this is somewhere you’ll need to seek out. Truly authentic dishes are created by owners Ying Hou and her mother Meiyan Wang and the recipes hail from the fishing town of Yantai on the Chinese Shandong Peninsula. At Henry’s urging we ordered ShanDong’s signature mackerel dumplings, and they were outrageously good. The wrappers are handmade and filled with mackerel, coriander, ginger, chives, and spring onion. I was a little enthusiastic…

Your skin is your largest organ, and it mirrors what’s happening internally — your nutrition, your gut, your stress levels, your hormones, even your sleep. Your skin really is a window to what is happening inside the body. The food on your plate is a powerful tool to help you achieve that glow from within — the following six tips are your starting point. 1. Start with the skin barrier Think of the skin barrier like the protective wall that keeps hydration in and irritation out. When the barrier is compromised, skin becomes inflamed, dry and dull. There really are no serums that can fix that if your diet is working against you. Food always comes first. Your barrier absolutely loves essential fatty acids, zinc, vitamin E and antioxidants. These…

EGGPLANT Eggplant is prized for its ability to absorb flavour and transform in texture when cooked. From the large purple variety to slender Asian types, and the small green ones found in Thai and Indian cooking, eggplants are as diverse as the cuisines that use it. Choose eggplants that feel weighty with taut, shiny skins and green stems. Raw eggplant has spongy flesh and a neutral flavour, but with heat it softens and can become silky and rich, readily absorbing oils, spices and marinades. Eggplant can be roasted until melting, charred over an open flame, pan-fried, baked or slow-braised. It stars in smoky baba ganoush, Japanese miso-glazed nasu, Sri Lankan curries, and Middle Eastern stews. Slice it thick for grilling, cube it for curries, or leave it whole for stuffing…

Have fun in the kitchen and make Indomie Instant Noodles your own with a little imagination. From satay to stir-fry and char siu to salad they provide the perfect base for flavours from around the world. Super quick to prepare, Indomie Instant Noodles are the perfect lunch or dinner hack to keep in the pantry — you can even enjoy them on the go! Your noodles, your way. For inspiration visit indomie.co.nz…

Linguine with Herb Roasted Tomatoes (v) This simple and totally delicious recipe is like Mediterranean sunshine in a bowl. TOMATOES 1 kilogram tomatoes, use any assortment of colours and sizes½ cup extra virgin olive oil3 cloves garlic, crushed1½ teaspoons each fennel seeds and dried oregano¼–½ teaspoon chilli flakes2 big sprigs thymesea salt and ground pepper TO ASSEMBLE 400 grams linguine180 grams stracciatella or burratahandful basil leaves Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. Cut any large tomatoes into chunks, halve the medium ones and leave the cherry tomatoes whole. Put all the tomatoes in a large baking dish. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the tomatoes. Season well with salt and pepper then toss everything together. Spread out into a single layer. Roast for about 30 minutes or until…

Sauvignon blanc sippers rejoice, because a herbaceously hefty smorgasbord of bottled sunshine awaits. Our tasting panel attracted a staggering 147 entries, and after rigorous blind tasting across a team of seven judges, a whopping 16 wines soared to gold-medal status, while 40 earned silver and 62 earned bronze across a multitude of vintages. As predicted, our gold-medal winners sprang from 2024 and 2025 and all but one hailed from Marlborough. When it comes to super sav, Marlborough reigns supreme. This sun-saturated region is the beating heart of New Zealand’s wine industry, containing 72 percent of our total vineyard area and 90 percent of all the nation’s sauvignon blanc vines grow there. NZ sav is also the number-one selling white wine in Australia. Sauvignon blanc, once dubbed “cats pee on a…

TRANS-TASMAN MUMM-MAKER Champagne house G.H. Mumm has appointed award-winning Australian winemaker Trina Smith to oversee their Antipodean portfolio. Trina is recognised as one of Australia’s leading sparkling wine specialists and she’s chuffed to now be crafting premium examples from down under. “I’m thrilled to step into this role and continue building on Mumm’s legacy in Australasia. Marlborough, Central Otago and Tasmania are world-renowned cool-climate regions, producing sparkling wines of exceptional finesse, energy and character and I look forward to shining an international light on our sparkling styles.” Both Trina and Tasmania are earning recognition as sparkling wine leaders, with sparkling now accounting for more than 40 per cent of Tasmania’s total wine production. NEW BREW VODKA When crafting good vodka, many use the usual starchy suspects such as potatoes or…

Notes for cooks RECIPE ABBREVIATIONS gluten-free vegetarian MEASURING YOUR INGREDIENTS To ensure successful results, we recommend you invest in accurate measuring tools — measuring cups and spoons and a measuring jug are essential and electronic scales are particularly useful as they weigh accurately in both imperial and metric. Always follow one set of measures in a recipe. Do not mix them up. dish USES: Large eggs (size 7). Level spoons and cup measurements. Liquids are always measured in a jug and dry ingredients in measuring cups. NB: One tablespoon is 15ml (the Australian tablespoon is 20ml). Oven temperatures Cool oven . . . . . . . . .. .225°F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110°C Very…

Make every meal memorable over the warmer months with a generous dash of Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce and a drizzle of Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Style Chilli Oil. Sunny days deserve bright flavours, and Lee Kum Kee has a range designed to bring maximum oomph to any dish. Lee Kum Kee Lamb Burgers with Pickled Cucumber PICKLED CUCUMBER 2 tablespoons sesame seeds1 cucumber, thinly sliced1 tablespoon each Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce, Lee Kum Kee Chiu Chow Style Chilli Oil and caster sugar¼ cup rice wine or white vinegar1 clove garlic, crushed PATTIES 2 tablespoons cumin seeds400 grams lamb mince1 large egg1 clove garlic, crushed⅓ cup each chopped fresh coriander and dried breadcrumbs2 tablespoons Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce1 tablespoon each Lee Kum Kee Chiu…

Arayes — Spiced Lamb Filled Flatbreads With a spiced lamb filling, these flatbreads are fast to cook and delicious with the two toppings. 2 large (25cm) Lebanese flatbreadsextra virgin olive oil FILLING 300 grams lamb mince2 cloves garlic, crushed2 tablespoons currants, roughly chopped2 teaspoons each ground cumin and ground coriander1 tablespoon tomato paste1½ teaspoons sea salt½ teaspoon each ground cinnamon and sweet smoked paprika¼ teaspoon ground allspice TO SERVE Whipped Feta with Avocado and Mint, see recipe belowChopped Salad, see recipe right Preheat the oven to 100°C regular bake. FILLING: Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Using kitchen scissors, cut around the edge of each flatbread, and separate into two halves. Spread half of the meat over the bottom halves and, using your fingertips, spread the…

Zesty Lemon Honey Chicken Noodles These tender chicken pieces in their crispy crust get tossed in a tangy and perfectly sticky sauce with noodles. Just like a Chinese takeaway but tastier! LEMON SAUCE ½ cup chicken stock or water2 tablespoons each tamari and runny honey1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce or sweet chilli sauce1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest⅓ cup lemon juice3 cloves garlic, crushed½ teaspoon sesame oil NOODLES 2 x 85-gram packets instant noodles1 tablespoon neutral oil, eg rice bran CHICKEN 1 large egg1 tablespoon soy saucesea salt and ground pepper350 grams boneless, skin-off chicken thigh fillets, cut into 3–4cm pieces½ cup cornflour½ cup neutral oil, eg rice bran TO SERVE 2 spring onions, thinly sliced LEMON SAUCE: Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. NOODLES:…

Mango and Chicken Satay Noodles Feel free to sub the chicken in this recipe for cooked prawns — either way the satay/mango combination is a winner! 130 grams egg noodles2 cups shredded cooked rotisserie chicken (or cooked prawns)2 spring onions, sliced1 mango, halved, peeled and sliced⅓ cucumber, chopped½ cup roasted peanuts SATAY DRESSING ½ cup crunchy peanut butter⅓ cup boiling water2 teaspoons soy sauce1 teaspoon each sesame oil and grated ginger¼–½ teaspoon chilli flakes Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions then drain under cold water and leave to cool for 15 minutes. DRESSING: Put the ingredients in a jug and whisk to combine. Toss the noodles, dressing and remaining salad ingredients together. Serve any leftover mango on the side. SERVES 2 Mexican Fiesta Lunchbox (gf) A lighter take…

Pomegranate, Lime & Avocado Crudo (gf) Prep time: 10 minutes Cure time: 5 minutes The sweetness of pomegranate juice is a lovely complement for lime juice in this recipe. We’ve used kingfish here and avocado to provide some creaminess and mint for freshness. 1 large fillet (180–200 grams) fresh white fish, we like snapper or kingfish½ pomegranate (you will extract 2 tablespoons juice and 2 tablespoons arils)2 tablespoons lime juice½ avocado, cut into small cubesfew mint leaves, sliced2 tablespoons best extra virgin olive oilflaky sea salt Slice the fish on an angle (with your knife at about 30 degrees) as thinly as you can. Lay the fish on a serving platter, cover with baking paper and chill. Squeeze the pomegranate over a small bowl to extract 2 tablespoons of juice.…

It hit me last summer when I opened the booze fridge during a shindig with friends. The shelves were stacked with pre-mixed gin and tonics, spritzers, and boxes of dubious seltzers. That moment sent me on a side quest to bring back the love. Our beverage shelves are so cluttered with products jostling for a slice of our sipping dollars that we’re unintentionally snubbing the one true tipple that never lets us down. A beloved beverage that’s been in a relationship with humankind for more than 8,000 years and deserves renewed appreciation. So, if you need reasons to fall for wine again, let me count the ways. Unlike some RTDs and seltzers, wine isn’t concocted in a lab or engineered in a factory. It’s the perfect representation of terroir, a…

Barbecue Fish and Chermoula Sauce with Fennel, Orange and Zucchini Salad (gf) This is a dish I cook for my private cheffing clients who want big, fresh flavours and simple technique letting the beautiful wild seafood shine through. Crispy-skin fish, a bright herb-packed chermoula that melts over the warm fish, and a crunchy fennel, orange and zucchini salad to balance it all. It’s vibrant, summery and built for outdoor cooking! CHERMOULA pinch of saffron threads (optional)1 large bunch parsley leaves and tender stems (you’ll need about 1 tightly packed cup)1 large bunch coriander, leaves and tender stems (you’ll need about 1 tightly packed cup)3–4 cloves garlic2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest1 tablespoon lemon juice1 teaspoon each ground cumin and sweet or smoked paprika½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste100–120ml…

Zucchini Tart (v) 1½ sheets pre-rolled puff pastry sheets, defrosted250 grams ricotta cheese3 large eggs½ cup Mainland Grated Tasty⅓ cup finely grated Mainland Parmesan½ cup roughly chopped fresh herbs (eg dill, mint, parsley and/or chives)1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest1 clove garlic, crushedsea salt and ground pepper2 zucchini, thinly sliced1 tablespoon olive oil TO SERVE 1 cup dill and/or mint and/or parsley leaves½ cup shaved Mainland Parmesan EQUIPMENT: Line an oven tray with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 190°C regular bake. Place the sheets of puff pastry onto the lined tray and overlap them by 3cm, push down on the overlapping edges to seal them together. Score the edges of the pastry to create a 3cm border. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the ricotta, 2 of the eggs,…

Tom Yum Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Crispy Peanut Topping (gf) Caramelised tom yum chicken and a bright peanutty dipping sauce, all tucked into crisp lettuce leaves — a fresh, low-carb option that still feels satisfying. Easy to prep, easy to serve and great for warmer evenings. You can also turn it into a salad instead of lettuce cups. TOM YUM CHICKEN 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approx. 650 grams), diced into 2cm pieces2 makrut lime leaves, very finely chopped1 tablespoon tom yum paste (see Cook’s note)2 teaspoons each brown sugar and fish sauce1 teaspoon hot curry powdersea salt TOM YUM PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE ¼ cup lime juice3 tablespoons soft brown sugar2 tablespoons smooth natural peanut butter2 teaspoons tom yum paste2 cloves garlic, peeled1 makrut lime leaf½ teaspoon chilli flakes2–3 tablespoons…

Creamy Miso, Black Pepper and Parmesan Pasta (v) This is a take on classic cacio e pepe, with the addition of rich miso paste. A quick and easy put-together, it’s ideal for weeknights. 250 grams dried radiatori pasta or other grooved pasta1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil2 tablespoons each white miso paste, boiling water and butter2 cloves garlic, crushed½ cup cream1 teaspoon ground pepper1 cup finely grated parmesan, plus extra for serving1 tablespoon lemon juice Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. Take out 1 cup of cooking water then drain the pasta and toss with the olive oil. Stir the miso and boiling water together in a small bowl until smooth with no lumps. Melt the butter in a large…

Strawberry Jelly Cheesecake My girls and I had such a fun time making this one, the layers look so pretty, and everyone is a huge fan of jelly. You could use a range of different fruits, such as berries, peaches or nectarines. GINGERNUT BASE 1½ x 250-gram packets (375 grams) ginger nuts160 grams salted butter, melted CHEESECAKE ¼ cup (60ml) water1½ teaspoons gelatine powder375 grams cream cheese, roughly chopped1 cup (250ml) cream¼ cup (55 grams) caster sugar1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, optional STRAWBERRY JELLY 1 cup (250ml) freshly boiled water85-gram packet strawberry jelly1 cup (250ml) cold water250 grams strawberries EQUIPMENT: 25cm removeable base tart tin. GINGERNUT BASE: In a food processor, blitz the gingernuts to a consistency closely resembling sand. Add the melted butter and blitz again. Press evenly into…

1 Hotel Melbourne is the equivalent of an accommodation mullet — except the party is in the front, and the business is in the back. And by business, I mean the business of relaxation, because if balance is what you’re after, this is the place. On entering, smiling young things are eager to take your bags, show you around and set you up for a perfect stay. In the open, light downstairs area, the reception is adjacent to a bar and eatery, all softened with wooden elements and an abundance of real plants. The music is energetic and fun, the vibe is high. But, up in the rooms? By crikey, the contrast is fabulous — wooden, stone and textural elements are everywhere. There is a solidity and sense of comfort…

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