Laksa and what we like to eat in Winter
We're stepping away from food tips and focusing on something just as important: eating with the seasons. We're big believers in following the seasons with the type of food you eat as well as embracing what fruits and vegetables grow abundantly during this time.
So this month we are chatting winter foods
What we eat in winter
Winter in Byron means slow mornings, woolly jumpers, hot tea, the smell of something simmering on the stove, early sunsets and an excuse to stay in a little longer.
During winter, our bodies naturally crave more warmth and substance to get through the colder months. So think less salads and more cooked meals!
For ingredients, think sweet, sour and salty — flavours that ground and nourish us. Picture warming bowls of kitchari, slow-cooked lentil dahls, miso-based broths and rich vegetable curries. Root vegetables like parsnips, potatoes and pumpkin are perfect for this season, along with warming spices like cumin, clove, black pepper and star anise.
This is the season for gentle cooking methods — slow roasting, braising, and simmering — that transform simple ingredients into deeply satisfying meals.
“ Let the season guide you. Slow down, each warm comfort foods, and enjoy in the simple things."
Fruits and Vegetables that are in season in winter in Australia
Vegetables
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Kale
Silverbeet/chard
Spinach
Leeks
Carrots
Parsnips
Swede/turnip
Beetroot
Sweet potato
Pumpkin
Celery
Fennel
Broad beans
Peas
Onions
Garlic
Mushrooms
Fruits
Oranges
Mandarins
Lemons
Grapefruit
Tangelos
Kiwifruit
Pears
Apples
Pomegranate
Custard apple
Persimmon
Avocado
Bananas
Laksa
Soups are my favourite thing to eat. I would eat them all year round if it wasn’t so hot in Byron. I love how I feel when I'm eating them, like a big warm hug. And my body loves it too. I always feel like I sleep better with a light soup for dinner instead of a big heavy meal.
Serves 3-4
Ingredients
Paste
1 tbsp fresh red chilli, sliced, plus extra to serve
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fenugreek
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium brown onion (200g), diced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated with skin on
3 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp sweet paprika
Broth
2 tsp coconut sugar
½ medium broccoli bunch (100g), cut into florets
2 medium carrots (200g), julienned
1½ cups coconut cream
3 tbsp tamari
1 lime, to make 2 tbsp juice and 1 tsp zest
2 tsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt
Toppings
150g tempeh, sliced
1 tbsp coconut oil
200g soba noodles
2 tbsp coriander (20g), chopped
1 spring onion, finely chopped including green tops
1 tbsp fresh chilli (10g), finely chopped
½ lime, cut into wedges
Method
Paste
In a mortar and pestle, grind up the chilli, coriander seeds, cumin seeds,
and fenugreek.
Put coconut oil into a medium pot and place on a medium-high heat. Once
hot, add the onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until soft. Add the mortar
and pestle mix, ginger, garlic, turmeric and sweet paprika and continue to
fry, stirring frequently, for a further 2 minutes to release the flavours from
the spices.
Broth
Add coconut sugar and 8 cups of water to the paste in the pot. On high
heat bring the broth to a boil, then add broccoli and carrots.
Simmer on medium-high heat for 15 minutes or until the broccoli and carrots are
cooked.
Turn off the heat and the add coconut cream, tamari, lime juice
and zest, nutritional yeast and salt. Set aside.
Toppings
In a small fry pan, add tempeh with coconut oil. Fry until brown. Set aside.
Cook the noodles according to the packet and set aside.
To serve, divide the noodles between bowls. Add broth. Top with the
tempeh, coriander, spring onion and chilli. Serve with lime. Enjoy.