Communing with spirits and coping with death: Grief food in three cultures

2024

A write up about how rituals around preparing and eating ‘grief food’ bring comfort to mourners – from Russia to Sri Lanka – and connect them to the dead. Published in Al Jazeera

From ornamental tree to fruit ‘of the gods’: Australians discover the joy of feijoa

2023

An article about a niche fruit in Australia: feijoa. Published in The Guardian

America Is Saddled with One Banana of Many

2023

An explainer on the history of banana cultivation and why it is a monoculture for many countries. Developed for Smart Mouth substack

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Southeast Asian Sugar

2023

A deep dive into sugars such as rock sugar, palm sugar and muscovado which give the region’s desserts, dipping sauces, and even curries their signature flavor. Published in Eater.com

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Fermented Shrimp

2023

A deep dive into this umami powerhouse that gives many Asian dishes their signature taste. Published in Eater.com

Finding fufu: Australia’s growing appetite for West African food

2022

A piece on how diners are embracing the joys of jollof, but chefs cooking West African food in Australia still have to make some creative substitutions. Published in The Guardian

How to celebrate Deepavali like you're in Malaysia

2022

The festival of lights is a key Malaysian holiday. I speak to two people on how they celebrate it in Australia. Published in SBS Food, Australia

A bite of history: the growers preserving Australia’s heirloom apples

2022

While a few varieties dominate supermarket shelves, Australia is home to more than 200 kinds of apple – with huge variance in colour, size and taste. Published in The Guardian

A deep dive into banana leaf rice

2022

Whether it's saved for weekends or special occasions, banana leaf rice has an appeal that's worth waiting for. Published in SBS Food, Australia

‘Tougher and chewier’: Australia is being treated to a new world of ice-cream

2022

A feature on how Australia is spoilt for choice when it comes to ice cream, with a diversity of flavours and textures. Published in The Guardian

Comfort And History In Chicken Chop

2022

A feature on how this Hainanese dish represents both nostalgia and migration in Malaysia & Singapore. Published in Whetstone Journal

Sweet, tart and spooky-cheap: six things to cook with Australia’s pineapple surplus

2021

With hospitality demand declining, pineapples are up to 40% cheaper this season. From ferments to granitas, here’s what to do with them. Published in The Guardian

What the hibachi grill says about Japanese culture

2021

TV shows have embraced the hibachi grill, but the device has a long history. Published in SBS Food

Nasi goreng: a one-pot pantry clean-up dish at its best

2021

Is it Malaysian, Indonesian or Singaporean? The answer is all three – and so much more. Published in The Guardian

Shokupan is the anti-sourdough: the rise of Japanese milk bread

2021

A feature on Japanese milk bread, shokupan. Published in The Guardian

For Malaysia's Kristang population, devil's in the curry

2021

A feature on devil curry, which is the signature dish for the Malaysian-Portuguese community. Published in Whetstone Journal

Malaysian toddy, tuak and tapai keep tradition alive

2021

A feature on Malaysia's local alcohol (rice wine, coconut wine) for Whetstone Journal, and how religion & colonisation shaped it. Published in Whetstone Journal

These women looked to their culture for their post-natal recovery

2021

Interview with 3 women to understand their food intake to help with post natal recovery. Published in SBS Voices, Australia 

Australians eat lots of lamb but we don't fancy goat. Why?

2021

A feature on goat meat consumption in Australia. About 90% of Australia’s goat meat is exported but fans say it deserves a place on local plates. Published in The Guardian

Anthology: New Voices on Food

2020

An anthology celebrating voices in Australia's food landscape . My essay on masala tea is one of the ten stories here. Buy it from Somekind Press, Australia 

Grain of truth: 'I once saw a chef cook 80 kilos of rice in a Combi oven'

2020

A feature on rice, which is a staple food yet surprisingly divisive across the world. The right way to cook it is a matter of culinary relativism.

Published in The Guardian 

Australia's slow embrace of regional Indian cuisine

2020

An assessment of the availability of Indian regional food in Australia and why it is a slow process to represent that variety in Australian restaurants. Published in The Guardian 

Cheap sushi and bountiful cheese: what stands out about eating in Australia

2020

From a Korean chef shocked by the varieties of rice, to a Colombian man who ponders the lack of a national dish, overseas-born Australians share their culinary surprises with me. Published in The Guardian