Native spice stir-fry

Bush tomato is also known as desert raisin, Kutjura and Akudjura. When dried on the bushes, the fruit look similar to raisins and have a strong sun-dried tomato, caramel and tamarillo flavour and aroma.

Native spice stir-fry Credit: On Country Kitchen

• serves

  4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed and halved
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into batons
• 100 g snow peas, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthways
• 150 g small Brussels sprouts, halved
• 30 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 onion, cut into thirds
• 1 head garlic, halved through the equator
• 1 French shallot, thinly sliced
• 40 g butter
• 1 kohlrabi, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp ground bush tomato, (see note)
•  ¼ tsp ground saltbush
• ground black pepper and pink lake salt, to taste
• hot quinoa, to serve

Instructions

1. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Cook the asparagus, carrot, snow peas and Brussels sprouts separately until lightly blanched and just tender. As the vegetables cook, drain with a slotted spoon and refresh in iced water, then drain again and set aside.

2. Place the oil, onion and garlic halves in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook for 7-8 minutes or until golden and fragrant to flavour the oil. Remove and discard the garlic and onion. Add the shallot to the flavoured oil and cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden.

3. Add the butter and kohlrabi, cover and steam for 5 minutes. Add the bush tomato and saltbush and stir until fragrant. Stir in the blanched vegetables, breaking up the Brussels sprouts a little. Season to taste, then transfer to a serving plate and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Serve with hot steamed quinoa.

Notes:

Ground bush tomato ground dried salt bush is available online from native food stores or from specialist food stores.

Catch Mark Olive in the second season of On Country Kitchen, Wednesdays 7:30 on NITV from 23 October to 18 December, or on SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.