Total Healthcare Naturally

What’s in your fridge today?
After last weekend’s Sri Lankan cooking class, I had a bench full of leftovers curry, rice, sambal and more. Too good to waste, but also too good to repeat. So I did what I always do: turned them into something new.

Samosas stuffed with spiced potato and chicken curry. Nasi goreng cooked with garlic and a fermented chilli sambal. Caramelised tomato soaked onions on ricotta toast.

Read the full post in this week’s Spice Chronicles via the Linktree in my bio.

Leftover Alchemy: From Class to Kitchen to Kindness How I turned a Sri Lankan feast into sambal samosas, nasi goreng and breakfast on sourdough with a zero waste philosophy

Celery, reconsidered.
Marcella Hazan’s braised and gratineed celery with Parmesan surprised me in the best way — elegant, layered, and quietly comforting. If you’ve only ever used celery in a soffritto or as a crunchy snack, this recipe may shift your view entirely.

For the full recipe go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

Coste di Sedano alla Parmigiana Exploring Marcella Hazan’s layered, comforting dish of braised celery with pancetta and Parmesan

This week on Spice Chronicles I’m sharing a tropical trio built around a single pot of Balinese Bumbu broth, silken tofu, wok-steamed mussels, and a green papaya salad with a dressing made from pickled carrot brine.

The broth travels from dish to dish, deepening as it goes. Nothing wasted, everything connected. And for dessert? A grape and labneh cake made with the black grape conserve from last week’s brownies.

This is the kind of cooking I love, rooted, rhythmic, and just a little bit improvised.

For the full post, go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

A Tropical Trio of Tofu, Mussels and Papaya Salad Silken tofu, wok-steamed mussels, and green papaya salad, all woven from a single spiced broth

Who knew raw mushrooms could be this elegant? 🍄
Marcella Hazan’s Insalata di Funghi e Formaggio began as a modest salad of mushrooms and Swiss cheese—and evolved into a luxurious plate dressed with Parmigiano, celery, and white truffle. I cooked the original Knopf version yesterday and served it with melon and prosciutto. It was an exquisite surprise.
For the full story (and the recipe, with optional extras), follow the link in bio.

A Salad Transformed: Marcella Hazan’s Insalata di Funghi e Formaggio Mushroom and Cheese Salad

Breakfast, but not as you know it.
Leftover bumbu tofu folded into eggs, gently scrambled, sliced, and wrapped in rice paper with crisp lettuce, coriander, chilli, and pickles.

High in protein, rich in phytoestrogens, and completely gluten-free.
A delicious way to start the day, and a reminder that breakfast doesn’t have to look like toast.

For the full story, go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

Breakfast club Scrambled tofu rice paper rolls

Two dips from one base.
A slow-cooked caramelised onion dip becomes something new, folded with sweet peas, spiced sausage, toasted hazelnuts, and finished with fig balsamic glaze.

It’s simple, nourishing, and full of umami. And if you’re thinking about lunch tomorrow, there’s a whole Leftovers & Lunch Box section with ideas for turning this dip into the kind of packed lunch that feels like a reward.

For the full recipe go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

Two Dips from One Base: Caramelised Onion & Its Pea, Pork, and Hazelnut Evolution A slow-cooked onion dip meets its vibrant match with peas, spiced pork, and hazelnuts—two unique dips from one beautifully versatile recipe.

There’s a pot of stock simmering away on my stove today—quietly doing its thing while I work. I nearly always have one on the go. It’s how I stretch every veggie trimming, herb stem, and leftover bone into something full of depth and comfort.

A good stock brings warmth and complexity to everything it touches—and in this week’s Spice Chronicles, I’m sharing a global guide to making your own: from classic chicken and fish stocks to regional broths like Korean dashima, Vietnamese pho, and French fumet.

For the full recipe go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

The Mother of Flavour: A Global Guide to Stock and Broth From Korean master stock to French fumet, this is a simmering tribute to the heart of every kitchen, infused with memory, tradition, and the taste of time.

What do a Le Creuset, a French oven, and a backyard barbecue have in common? They’ve all helped me cook chicken the Marcella Hazan way.

In my latest Cooking with Marcella post, I’m diving into Marcella’s iconic chicken recipes—from stovetop pot-roasting to oven-roasted with rosemary, to a smoky, peppery grill-side classic. I’ve given you one base recipe, three faithful variations, and all the food pairings Marcella recommended to serve them with.

For the full recipe go to the Linktree in my Bio and follow the link to Substack.

Why Marcella’s Chicken Still Reigns Three iconic ways to roast a bird, the Italian way

A cake salé with a Sri Lankan soul. This Apéro snack takes the French classic and layers it with bold flavours—curry leaf oil, labneh, and a peppery spice blend form the base, while Fish Curry Butter, charred potatoes, marinated tuna, and lunu miris build a bite that’s rich, vibrant, and unforgettable.

This is Apéro with a global twist—where French technique meets Sri Lankan depth in a perfect, savoury balance. Try it on its own or as an elegant club sandwich.

For the full recipe, go to the Linktree in my bio and follow the link to Substack.

The Global Apéro: French Technique, Sri Lankan Spice A cross-cultural bite blending French technique, Portuguese inspiration, and Sri Lankan spice

✨ Sri Lankan Canned Mackerel Curry – A Family Favourite ✨
Some dishes are woven so deeply into home cooking that they rarely make it onto restaurant menus. Sri Lankan Canned Mackerel Curry is one of them. Quick, budget-friendly, and packed with depth, it’s a comfort dish that brings back memories of meals with my Sri Lankan friends as a child.
For those unsure about canned fish, trust me, this curry will change your mind. The spiced gravy transforms humble mackerel into something truly special. Serve it with Lunu Miris, coconut roti, string hoppers, or rice, and add a simple veggie side like mallung or a dry bean curry for a complete meal.
Also, keep an eye out for my upcoming Apéro post, where I’ll be using this curry in a completely different way!
📌 Full recipe and story now on Spice Chronicles.
For the full recipe, go to the Linktree in my bio and follow the link to Substack.

Sri Lankan Canned Mackerel Curry: A Family Favourite A Homestyle Sri Lankan Classic You Won’t Find in Restaurants