My Current Kitchen Crush
Have you ever found yourself in a groove? Like the needle on a vinyl record, going round and round in the same endless pattern. That’s me right now. Thing is, I’m not unhappy with it.
I have a crush. An ardent crush. As passionate as my love for Leif Garrett when I was seven. Or for that poor boy in my year seven class. Only this time, the subject of my crush doesn’t have a cute song, glossy lips or great hair. This time, it has calcium, iron, phosphorous and vitamins A and C. It also contains glucosinolates (be still my beating heart), which may reduce the risks of certain cancers.
This time, it’s wombok. A.K.A Chinese cabbage.
You still with me?
My love affair with wombok began innocently enough. I moved to a small town and was invited to several barbecues. To every single barbecue, someone brought The Salad. Wombok, shallots, crispy noodles and a sesame-inspired dressing. Coleslaw with an Asian flavour. Coleslaw made sensational.
I was hooked. I’d make it at home sometimes. But it was early days.
Then, one day, I discovered that the dressing for the salad was now available in a bottle. No mixing required. I brought it home. Before I knew it, I was mixing chicken, mint and coriander into my wombok mix. Shallots not on hand? Try Spanish onion. Need to up your intake of dark, leafy greens? Toss in some baby spinach leaves.
But always there was wombok.
I have eaten some combination of this wombok salad every single day for lunch for the last three weeks. I do this. I find something I love and then I smother it to death. The two last great crushes of my life were the Pho Period, when I last worked in the city, and the Great Tuna Salad experience, which took over most of the first year of my first son’s life. That was a long year. It got to the point where my sisters would ask in advance what we’d be eating. When I answered ‘probably tuna salad’, they’d arrive with their own packed lunch.
So far, the Wombok Salad Experiment shows no signs of abating. But experience tells me that it will. One day, I’ll go to the fridge, look at the wombok and feel slightly ill. The love just won’t be there any more. I might persist for a little while, but sooner or later I’ll have to confront the truth: I love wombok, but I’m not in love with it anymore. And so we will part, probably with me swearing off the whole Brassica species.
Sooner or later, though, something else will catch my eye. A certain texture. A flavour I can’t resist. And I’ll be off, crushing all over again.
At least with a food crush, I never have to worry if my feelings are requited.
Do you suffer from food crushes? What’s your current pick?
Allison Tait is a freelance writer and blogger, based on the south coast of NSW. She blogs about writing, being a WAHM and… whimsy at Life In A Pink Fibro . Her diet is not all about crushes. She also has a lifelong commitment to Milo.
We just got some womboks (to plant in the garden, not to eat – at least not at this stage). Look forward to doing wonderful things with them.
I am tragic with food crushes and they drive my family up the wall. I had a love affair with asparagus and cheese crepes that went on for over a year (can’t stand even the thought of one now), pesto pizza (about a year and a half), spanish omelettes with hash browns (about 8 months), spinach and geta puff triangles (4 months), and the list goes on… I just can’t figure out if I want to grow out of this pattern or not!
I can’t believe you’re stepping out with Wombok. I’m telling Tuna. x
I had a crush on fresh pineapple that lasted a good 6 months or so. I would take time in cutting them up into large chunks (thanks to my ultra sharp global knives) and then straight into the fridge.
Looks unreal. Thanks A xx
I have a current lunch food crush, it’s something I can take to work easily and it’s healthy and filling. The base consists of chopped up tomatoes, cucumber, tinned tiny beetroot and feta. Other things can be added for instance, left over chicken, baby spinach/salad leaves, tinned lentils, tinned chickpeas. It’s easy and ingredients can always be in the pantry, if I take this to work I’m less likely to buy something unhealthy.
I do like Chinese Cabbage, but have always cooked it, and not tried oit raw! I will try your salad, sounds yummy, but what is the name of the dressing you found in a bottle, and who makes it, please? I want some!
Yep, I’m into food crushes too…. will eat the same thing for months, then go off it. My favourite food crush was salmon and coleslaw on a long brown roll… still have one on occasion…yum
@Elle – Is the Chang’s Asian Noodle Salad Dressing (or title to that effect). Is very good!
@Jill – your salad also sounds good… Hmmm… baby beetroot… can I feel a crush coming on?
@Heath – I LOVE fresh pineapple, but am useless at the preparation end of it. I either end up with skin on my chunks – or no chunks at all as it all comes off with the skin.
@Pini – your food crushes sound as fabulous as mine. Keep it up!
Oh, I get food crushes, too! I’ve also had a pho crush, and my other crushes have included singapore noodles, tatsoi, fish sauce, lamb backstraps, and peanuts. Hmmm… I could almost make something out of all of those together – lamb and tatsoi stir-fried noodles, including fish sauce and topped with crushed peanuts!
Now, I’m off to buy a wombok… perfect time of year for a wombok crush!
I am woefully ignorant. I have never heard of a wombok before but have fallen madly in love with its name. My current food crush is a mango and shows no sign of abating. And chilli lindt chocolate as well. Oh the deliciosity!
Ah the wombok! I know the salad to which you refer well. Absolutely lovely!
I only swapped tuna for salmon, nothing quite as adventurous as a chinese cabbage. Will definitely make the purchase when next at the supermarket and give it a crack.
And for the record, if you aint dating the baby beetroot from time to time you are seriously missing out!
I first encountered wombok in the Coles crunchy asian salad kit, but it wasn’t long before I was buying them naked, using them shredded as a salad base for lunch, and in stir-fries for dinner … last night, I put some into a garlic prawn and spaghetti dish … maybe I need help to get over this fetish??
Thanks for the nutritional info – I feel better about my indulgence now!
yes I do absolutely understand! I had that same feeling a few years ago with the sweet potato/spinach/pine nuts salad. I made it all the time, and now after a 2 year break I am ready to eat it again. But perhaps i’ll hold off for a while and try your addiction first.
@gillian – sweet potato/spinach/pine nuts? Yum! Sounds like I might need to switch allegiance. My sister used to make a sweet potato/rocket/sesame seed one that was a total winner – I made it to death and then broke up with it. You’re right. It might be time to revisit a few ex-crushes.
@cyberfysh – there’s a kit??? Hallelujah. The garlic prawn/spaghetti/wombok combo sounds… interesting. A crush indeed!
My current crush is avocado — with salt and pepper. Strawberries always do it for me too. As for the wombok, well, it’s okay I guess with fried noodles and spanish onion. Each to their own right?