"Your world of cooking comes to life when you throw away all the unnecessary rules and cook intuitively. Plants provide all the colours, tastes and flavours that complete every single dish. Welcome to my world" ~ Pip Coogan
Since leaving Adelaide behind and closing the doors on The Vegan Catering Company, Pip Coogan moved up to Brisbane and continued working in the plant based food distribution industry, gradually moving into opening her own sales and marketing company, My Green Collective, nurturing and representing a collective of ethical, plant based, green, and revolutionary products
“ Cooking is my outlet, my passion. Cooking makes me smile.”
“My mother, Robin Coogan, gifted me the basics that support the foundations to any traditional meal. I would sit in the kitchen, as a child and watch her make smooth cheesy white sauce that would drizzle over the top of baked cauliflower or pour over the top of my favourite macaroni cheese. Observing the fundamentals of creating that deep rich pasta sauce and a risotto that was perfect every time.
By just being a mother cooking dinner for 4 children every night for years, I am blessed to have inherited such wonderful tools.”
Taking all she has learnt and applying it to plant based cooking has opened up her world of cooking. It fills her with creativity, bringing in so many colours, flavours and textures.
We asked Pip to come up with something plant based and tropical inspired to share with you all, and I must say, it tasted delicious...
and she's a bucket full of JOY!
TROPICAL FYSH TACOS
Fysh & Marinade:
1 can Banana Blossom
Juice of 2-3 lemons
1 tablespoon Miso
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Kelp sheets torn in small pieces
3 Nori sheets torn in small pieces
Sea Salt
Filtered Water
2 cups white flour
Turmeric
Beer
Rice Bran Oil
To serve:
1 packet soft tacos
Red cabbage
Carrot
Lettuce or rocket
Tomatoes
Red chilli
Spring onion
Snow peas
Tartare, agile, or whatever sauces you like
- In a 4 litre tub (with a lid) add the lemon juice, miso, soy sauce, kelp pieces, nori pieces, some sea salt and 2 cups of filtered water, and stir together.
- Open the can of banana blossom and squeeze the water out of each piece then place in the watery marinade. Make sure all the pieces are covered, or fill with extra water. Close lid and let sit overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
- Before commencing the battering and frying of the banana blossom, chop all taco salad filings as desired, so they’re ready for the final stage.
- Once the banana blossom has marinaded, pull the pieces out and squeeze all the liquid from them. Break into chosen portion sizes and let sit.
- Fill a pot around 5cm deep (depending on banana blossom portion size) with rice bran oil and bring to a boil.
- In a bowl, mix the flour, beer and a sprinkle of turmeric until you get a nice consistent liquid batter.
- With a fork dip the pieces of banana blossom with the batter, making sure it coats all sides nicely, and allow excess batter to drip off, then place into boiling oil and deep fry. Remove when cooked and place on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
- Serve the banana blossom fysh with the soft tacos and salad filings and create your own yummy tropical treat
SHOP PIP’S LOOK!
Pip Dress (and yes, by chance that was the name of the dress!) 'Emerald Lily' ~ BUY NOW!
And check out her business on Instagram ~ My Green Collective
Pottery pictured in photos is by local artist Shelley Pugh and available in our Hastings Street Boutique... Follow her on Instagram!!