Donna Hay reveals her ‘secret flavour weapons’ and the one ingredient for making simple dishes tasty

Celebrity cook Donna Hay reveals her ‘secret flavour weapons’ – and the ONE ingredient that will make any simple stir fry ‘exceptional’

• Donna Hay has shared her ‘secret flavour weapons’ and her go-to ingredient 
• Author said she always keeps a selection of pastes and garlic confit in her fridge 
• Food stylist revealed it’s her secret cooking shortcut for ‘throw-together’ meals

By Cindy Tran for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 00:41 BST, 20 October 2021 | Updated: 00:42 BST, 20 October 2021

Australia’s iconic cookbook author Donna Hay has shared her ‘secret flavour weapons’ and the go-to ingredient for taking simple dishes to the next level.

The celebrity food stylist said she always keeps a selection of pastes and garlic confit in her fridge as it’s her secret cooking shortcut for ‘throw-together’ meals.

‘Confit garlic makes a simple stir fry, grilled chicken or salmon exceptionally tasty,’ Hay told SmartDaily.

‘Red chilli coconut paste, lime and lemongrass paste are secret flavour weapons.’

Australia’s iconic cookbook author Donna Hay (pictured) has shared her ‘secret flavour weapons’ and the go-to ingredient for taking simple dishes to the next level

To make confit, simply add garlic cloves (with or without skins), olive oil, and herbs like bay leaves and thyme in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the ingredients on low for 40 minutes or until the garlic is soft. Set aside to cool then store in a glass jar.

Garlic confit can be served on toasted bread or added to cooking to boost flavours. The jar can be refrigerated for three to four months.

A well-stocked pantry with canned beans is a must for the mum-of-two.

‘It’s always great to have things in the pantry that you can cheat with,’ Hay said.

‘You can add black beans to a taco mix, or add chick peas to a simple falafel recipe.’

The celebrity food stylist said she always keeps a selection of pastes and garlic confit in her fridge as it’s her secret cooking shortcut for ‘throw-together’ meals (stock images)

Her cooking tips comes after Hay revealed her all-time favourite kitchen utensil was a box grater.

‘I’m not a big fan of getting out the food processor when I’m trying to get homework done with two boys, so I just grate veggies with a box grater,’ she told Lifestyle in 2019.

‘Broccoli even has a handle already here for you, which I find genius.’

:

***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk