Karen Martini
Food editor
Karen Martini is a Melbourne-based chef, restaurateur, author and television presenter. She has a regular column in Good Weekend.Connect via Twitter.
This green chicken masala is Karen Martini’s new go-to midweek chicken curry
This curry is deliciously bright and light and the swift cooking time for the flavour payoff is a real winner.
- 30 mins - 1 hr
- Karen Martini
Roasted autumn vegetables with chilli-maple dressing and tofu and peanut vegan ‘mayo’
This recipe makes twice as much “mayo” than is needed for the salad, but it’s a staple in my house, and great in raw vegetable slaws.
- 30 mins - 1 hr
- Karen Martini
Pumpkin, golden raisin, zaatar, herb and feta filo pie
This riff on a classic spanakopita is autumn comfort food at its best.
- 1-2 hrs
- Karen Martini
Fried zucchini, mint and chilli salad with taramasalata and bottarga
This is based on a recipe from an old Italian friend who always added this to her antipasto spread during zucchini season.
- < 30 mins
- Karen Martini
Karen Martini’s coconut chicken curry with mint chutney
This is a rich, silky and fragrant chicken curry that surrenders well to the bright, full-flavoured and zesty chutney.
- 1-2 hrs
- Karen Martini
Chicken banh mi burgers with soft fried eggs and pickles
On a break in Vietnam some years back, we ate many a backstreet banh mi and fell in love with all the vibrant flavours. This banh mi as a burger is far from traditional, but it is delicious – and a satisfying standalone meal for lunch or dinner. You'll need to cook these three at a time, unless your kitchen is generously equipped.
- 30 mins - 1 hr
- Karen Martini
Chilled buckwheat noodles with grilled prawns and miso dressing
I'm a big lover of cold noodle salads, which are just heaven on a hot day. The quick pickles, coupled with the burst of freshness from the leaves and lime, make this particular one a summer staple in our household. You can get your prep done a little ahead of time, but be sure to serve it without delay once assembled.
- < 30 mins
- Karen Martini
Karen Martini's crisp-fried egg, charred corn, smoked trout and herb salad
This is a very tasty and intense dish – the crisp egg and abundance of herbs are the stars. Snap-frying the egg is the secret, meaning you get an oozy and saucy yolk with tendrils of crisply crunchy white. While best described as a breakfast or brunch dish, I would be happy to eat it at any time of day – it would even make a heavenly late-night snack.
- 30 mins - 1 hr
- Karen Martini
Spicy Thai squid salad with charred cucumber
This is a great starter for a Thai-themed feast, zingy and fresh, and it really gets the tastebuds going. Rather than grilling the squid, I've charred up some tiny cucumbers for that grill flavour and have blanched the squid instead. This method yields a beautifully delicate result, perfect when you can find sparklingly fresh small squid at the market.
- 30 mins - 1 hr
- Karen Martini
Coconut tapioca pudding with pine-lime granita
This is my kind of summer dessert; it's so light and refreshing, and has a nice hint of salt to balance the sweetness. Serve it as a simple and elegant portion, or you could also add a little fresh tropical fruit such as mango, paw paw, lychees or rambutans. You can have this dessert all prepped and ready to go well in advance; just do a quick assembly when you're ready to serve.
- 30 mins - 1 hr
- Karen Martini