Masterchef star Poh Ling Yeow has offered a look at her very unusual day on a plate, complete with weak coffee, salted pistachios and plenty of green tea.
The 49-year-old, from Adelaide, is well-known for her decadent dishes, but when it comes to her own diet, she appears to prefer more understated foods.
Speaking to The Age, the celebrity cook explained that she generally wakes up at 6.30am, and after feeding her two beloved dogs, downs two large glasses of cool green tea.
Culinary expert Poh Ling Yeow (pictured), shocked her followers with her unusual day on a plate
Poh then enjoys a peanut butter cream cookie for breakfast at about 8.20am, before fasting until 2pm.
At 2pm, Poh told the publication she will typically have five slices of Parma prosciutto, four slices of rock melon and a pink lady apple, all washed down with a weak coffee with full-cream milk.
She then has another couple of glasses of green tea at 3pm, before finally having a dinner of Chinese-style mushroom stew with doubanjiang sauce and red rice at 7pm.
Poh washes this down with two Tim Tams, two large glasses of cool green tea and two handfuls of salted pistachios, before finishing the day with a glass of water and a curcumin tablet.
Green tea is loaded with antioxidants which have been proven to help with brain function and weight loss.
Poh’s fascinating day started with two glasses green tea and a peanut butter cream cookie, followed by a light snack of Parma prosciutto and many more interesting combinations
The simple food Poh has may comes as a surprise to her many fans who admire her recipes, but the chef insists food tastes better by following the mantra ‘less is more’.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, she said one of the biggest mistakes people make with cooking was assuming ‘flavour comes from adding more ingredients’.
‘When produce is at its best, olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon is usually all you need. Sometimes heat isn’t even necessary, and raw is best,’ she previously told FEMAIL.
The chef spent her evening working out, mowing the grass and spending time with her dogs
Although her day on a plate represents her summer diet, one of the things the cookbook author loves about winter is making hearty dishes in her slow cooker.
‘There’s nothing I love more than throwing generous chunks of gravy beef, root vegetables, some stout and seasoning into a slow cooker and coming home to the most heartwarming meal that’s essentially cooked itself,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
She said the slow cooker is perfect for preparing time-consuming dishes with minimal effort, and shared her favourite tips to get the most for your money and save time.
The chef insists food tastes better by following the mantra ‘less is more’, she said one of the biggest mistakes people make with cooking was assuming ‘flavour comes from adding more ingredients’.
‘Slow cook secondary meat cuts covered in seasoned water, shred the meat and freeze nestled in its own stock for those nights you want a stew or ragu and don’t have time for a slow cook,’ she said.
‘Just add aromatics, herbs, vegetables, and a tin of tomatoes.’
Poh said one of her go-to dishes to make is her Chinese chicken congee (pictured), which is a type of rice porridge
Poh said another great way to make make quick dinners, especially for busy weeknights, is by having microwave rice pouches on hand. She prefers SunRice.
‘It’s perfect for a bowl of last-minute fried rice if you get caught out without chilled rice. Pour the rice directly into the pan without heating first – this keeps the grains tender but nicely separated,’ Poh said.
For quick, easy and budget-friendly meals, Poh said she can’t get enough of her two favourite dishes: cauliflower, kale and lentil curry and Chinese chicken congee, a type of rice porridge.
She said the dishes are simple to make because you can use whatever you have in your pantry.
‘I love them for a few reasons – they’re hearty, delicious, wholesome, and so easy to make you don’t need a recipe.’
The curry dish can be prepared in a few simple steps.
Poh’s ‘no-recipe’ trick for cooking her cauliflower, kale and lentil curry
Poh said the best thing about her simple no-recipe curry is that you can use whatever you have in your pantry so it’s always easily prepared, tasty and nourishing
The curry begins with a large brown onion sautéed in butter or ghee until soft and brown with a good handful of fresh curry leaves, a teaspoon of black mustard seeds and chilli powder to taste.
Next, add a tin of coconut milk, season with salt or fish sauce, then add whatever your heart desires – seafood, chicken, or pork and if you’re vegetarian or vegan.
Before tossing in roughly cut broccoli, kale, lentils, chickpeas, or tofu and serve with basmati, jasmine, or long grain rice. So versatile and impossible to get wrong.
‘Start with a large brown onion sauteed in butter or ghee until soft and brown with a good handful of fresh curry leaves, a teaspoon of black mustard seeds and chilli powder to taste,’ she said.
‘Next, add a tin of coconut milk, season with salt or fish sauce, then add whatever your heart desires – seafood, chicken, or pork.
‘Before tossing in roughly cut broccoli, kale, lentils, chickpeas, or tofu and serve with basmati, jasmine, or long grain rice. So versatile and impossible to get wrong.’
As for congee, she said it was all about ‘the holy trinity of Chinese dishes’.
‘Combine garlic, ginger, and spring onion sautéed in olive oil until fragrant, then add plenty of chicken stock, very little rice, a small amount of chicken to poach, then shred back into the bubbling pot,’ she said.
‘Season with light soy or fish sauce and simmer until you have a thick soupy texture, then finish with a good handful of shredded fresh ginger, roughly chopped coriander, and a good swig of sesame oil.’
Poh’s money-saving cooking tips
Meal planning: You shop specifically for recipes and quantities, which equates to less to zero wastage
Re-purpose leftovers into fried rice, soups, or stews
Buy secondary meat cuts: They’re cheaper and perfect for wintry slow-cooked dishes like ragus, stews, soups and roasts
Shop seasonally: It follows the natural order of things – whatever is in season is what the earth wants to provide, what your body needs and what is in surplus.
For seasonal ingredients, Poh said ‘brassicas are imperatives’ so you’ll always find her cooking with cauliflower, broccoli, kale, and cabbage.
‘I love them all – cauliflower, broccoli, or kale, tossed in olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roasted on high heat until edges are gorgeously charred, then finished with a squeeze of lemon – that’s one of my favourite solo dinners,’ she said.
‘Fennel with the same seasoning but charred on a wrought iron skillet, so there’s a residual crunch, fresh with the flavour of anise but then grounded in smokiness is delicious.
‘Another favourite is cabbage, whether white, red or savoy, braised in a touch of water, butter, a pinch of sugar, lemon zest and a splash of apple cider vinegar – a perfect accompaniment to roasts, pies or a grilled piece of protein.’
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