Alex first started volunteering at Everybody Eats at the very end of 2023, and has already clocked up 25 shifts and dedicated 60+ hours with us. Having worked in kitchens throughout his 20s and having recently moved to Onehunga saw a great opportunity to re-engage his passion for food and the atmosphere of a kitchen whilst also giving back to the local community that has been so welcoming to him and his partner Marieke (another awesome Everybody Eats volunteer).

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Growing up with a single parent household my mother taught me how to be self-sufficient as she needed to work pretty hard to provide for the both of us kids by herself. She was able to pass down what she had learned from her mother (who was also a fabulous cook). Even after gaining the confidence to cook for myself, being in the kitchen preparing dishes with her are some of the fondest memories of my childhood.

Mum was a huge fan of Malaysian cooking, and we would always attempt to recreate our favourite dishes or find the best spots in the area for good Malaysian food.

One of my mother's and my favourite dishes was a 'dry' tom yum curry they served as a special at our favourite local family-owned restaurant in Stokes Valley.

Normally we expect a tom yum to be a soup but this place had a different take on the dish. Eventually my mother was able to bully the recipe out of the grandmother whose dish it was - she always said she could never get it quite as good as the chef, and I always said I could never get it quite as good as my mother, but we persisted! We cooked the curry together often and it became a regular staple in our household.

Sadly, my mother passed away in November 2022. Looking back, it was only when she felt unable to eat the dish that she finally accepted the idea of hospice care - medication and treatment aside, if she couldn't eat her favourite food that's when you know things have gotten dire!

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This was the last dish I ever got to cook for her, and a dish that whenever I prepare for family and friends always brings back memories of her - to me it’s more powerful than going through photos, or hearing her favourite music, or listening to stories about her life.

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Alex's Recipe for Tom Yum Chicken & Raita

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Chicken Tom Yum Curry

Ingredients

• 6 boned and skinned chicken thighs, chopped into large pieces
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon chilli
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon good quality curry powder
• 3 tablespoons desiccated coconut
• 2 tablespoons soft brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2-3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 1 heaped tablespoon Tom Yum paste
• 1/2 cup water (or more as needed)

Steps

1. Combine ingredients
   In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken thighs, garlic, chilli, turmeric, curry powder, desiccated coconut, brown sugar, oil, dark soy sauce, Tom Yum paste, and water. Mix well to ensure the chicken is evenly coated.‍
2. Bake
   Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Transfer the mixture to a cast iron roasting dish or ceramic casserole dish. Bake for at least one hour, ensuring the mixture does not dry out. You can cover it with foil for most of the cooking time.
3. Adjust cooking time
   If desired, you can continue cooking for longer at a lower temperature (around 150-160°C or 302-320°F) by keeping it covered with foil and adding more water as needed.
4. Finish cooking
   Ten minutes before serving, remove the foil to allow the top to brown slightly.
5. Serve
   This dish is excellent served with plain basmati rice, roti, raita, and a bowl of plain bean sprouts for added crunch.

Raita

Ingredients

• ½ telegraph cucumber or one large apple
• ½ cup plain unsweetened natural yogurt
• Salt (to taste)
• Zest of ½ lemon
• Juice of ½ lemon (to taste)
• Chopped fresh mint or ½ teaspoon ground cumin (warmed)

Steps

1. Prepare cucumber or apple
   Grate the cucumber or apple and squeeze out excess liquid. If using a thick-skinned Israeli cucumber, peel and deseed it first.
2. Toast cumin (optional)
   If using whole cumin seeds, lightly toast them in a heavy-bottomed frying pan for a couple of minutes, then grind them with a mortar and pestle.
3. Combine ingredients
   In a bowl, mix the grated cucumber or apple with yogurt, salt, mint, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
4. Serve
   Raita is best served chilled alongside plain rice, roti, and fresh mung bean sprouts.

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