Paper Chef #20 Ingredient Nomination

Owen has relaunched Paper Chef with haute and home categories. For information on this fun cooking challenge and ingredient nomination, head across to Tomatilla. The challenge starts on 4 August, the first Friday of the month.

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Paper Chef #19 Independence Dreaming

Paper Chef #19: Corn, ground coriander, pinenuts and something that celebrates independence day in your nation.

Kevin at Seriously Good challenges contestants to "create a recipe that celebrates your nation's emancipation from its previous rulers or form of government or whatever other thing celebrated to honor nationhood."

Unlike some countries, Australia does not have an independence day, although the anniversary of the arrival of the first fleet on 26 January 1788 is used as the day to celebrate Australia as a nation. Some indigenous Australians regard the date as "Invasion Day" which marks "the decimation of their people, the confiscation of their lands and the destruction of their culture". See Wikipedia.

According to some, Australia became an independent and sovereign nation immediately following federation on 1 January 1901. To others, 3 March 1986, when Royal Assent was given to the Australia Acts represents the day of total independence. Still others see the progress to independence incomplete since the head of state remains the person who sits on the British throne. Hence the push in recent years for Australia to become a republic to sever its last remaining tie with the British monarchy.

What dish to celebrate an event which seems to be progressively evolving in Australia, and still to come for indigenous Australians?


... too late to blog as the colourful meatballs and noodles were already eaten ....

For this Paper Chef challenge Noodle Cook presents a dish which harmonises flavours of Australian bush spices, while at the same time symbolically representing reconciliation in art form.

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