Episode 1 - Ukrainians set a high bar!
Ukrainian couple, Mikola and Viktoria, have not had a day off work for over two months as they prepare to open Ireland’s first Ukrainian eatery in Dublin’s Portobello area. The new venture is called ‘Lucy’, after Mikola’s grandmother from whom he learned the secrets of Ukrainian home-cooked food. But the couple took time out from pre-launch preparations to join five other cooking enthusiasts at the state-of-the-art kitchen in East Coast Cookery School, home of celebrated chef Tara Walker, for the first episode of ‘Fusion Kitchen’. The show sees cooking enthusiasts from various countries, cook meals from their home countries for each alongside Tara, who lends a hand and chats about their culture and their cuisine. The Ukrainian meal set the bar very high with potato-based fritters to start, followed by vereniki – a boiled, filled dumpling akin to Italian tortellini or Polish pierogi – and finished off with a show-stopping honey cake of 14 delicious layers.
As their fellow participants sat to enjoy the meal, MIkola’s partner, Viktoria, gave them an insight into Ukrainian culture with a song performed acapella
Episode 2 - The flavours of India
The kitchen is not where you'd usually find Jasmine. A former chairperson of the non-profit multicultural organisation Hands 4 Unity and Vice President of Drogheda Chamber of Commerce, this Indian might excused for ordering a take-away. But Jasmine rose to the Fusion Kitchen challenge. Alongside chef Tara Walker, she prepared a starter of onion bhaji, followed up with a main of mildly spiced basmati rice and chicken curry. Again, the curry was tamed down for international tastebuds but Jasmine assured her fellow participants that the flavours were all there. Opening a window onto Indian culture, the guests were greeted, as they arrived, by an indian greeting involving candles and incense and the meal began with a traditional Indian song from a wonderful singer friend of Jasmine's.
The greeting of guests with candles and incense is part of the Indian ritual
Episode 3 - Brazilian carnival of food
Ivan's Brazilian grandmother, who instilled a love of cooking into him, would have been proud of the wonderful meal that he served up to his fellow Fusion Kitchen particpants to represent his country. Working closely with Tara at her East Coast Cookery School kitchen, his starter was a delectable pão de queijo - a cheesy bread bun, followed by the classic Brazilian Feijoada stew in two flavours - pork for the meat lovers and mushroom for those who lean towards vegetarian. The mouth-watering meal was topped off with a mouth-watering chocolate and strawberry dessert of Bombom de Travessa. To showcase the culture of Brazil, Ivan focussed on, perhaps, the country's most renowned celebration - Carnaval do Brasil. His fellow participants each got to revisit their childhood arts and crafts playtime, with blank masks, markers, glue and sparkles provided to all so that they could each create their own carnival mask.
Ivan, in honour of the world-famous Brazilian Carnivale celebrations, had everyone create their own mask
Episode 4 - Irish food at its best
It was hotter than usual in Tara Walker's cookery school kitchen for the Irish episode of Fusion Kitchen, with Irish food enthusiast, Linda, aware that the home nation's eyes would be upon her, and Tara equally keen to show off the best of Irish produce and taste. But the anxieties were not needed. The Fusion Kitchen participants were blown away by the fabulous flavours of Irish fare. With the exception of a vanilla pod, the entire meal came from within a 10km radius of where she cooked. Ingredients included Dunany flour, Oriel Sea Salt, Ballymakenny pototoes, Coole Farm greens. Her fellow were treated to Guinness with fresh Carlingford oysters before a local prawn starter. The main course was local hake – fresh from Kirwin’s fish shop in Drogheda – butter-fried and served on a bed of colcannon with sea-greens on the side. Dessert was a classic – rhubarb crumble with a vanilla custard. The rhubarbs were picked fresh from a friend’s garden. And the lot was washed down by a much appreciated shot of Mad March Hare poitín.
It was a seafood-themed feast of local ingredients for the Irish episode of Fusion Kitchen
Episode 5 - south Korean flavours
Song and Jenn's Kitchen is a much loved Korean street food restaurant at the back of the Sarfsfield pub in Drogheda. People come from far and wide to eat the food there, prepared by their singing chef, Yebin. And it was these delicious Korean flavours that Yebin brought to this episode of Fusion Kitchen. Tara had never seen the method that Yebin used to create his rolled omelette - where the omelette sets in the pan and then is rolled to leave part of the pan bottom clear to add more of the omelette mixture which attaches itself to the first piece. This process is repeated again and again until a 'swiss roll' type effect is achieved, and then the rolled omelette is plated and cut into mini rolls. This was just one of many dishes that Yebin presented to his fellow Fusion Kitcheners. South Koreans don't have the system of starter, main and dessert. Instead, each diner has some soup and rice served to them, and then the meal is put on the table all at once, with everyone tucking in to what they want. Another interesting dish on the table in this episode was made up of courgette slices, salted to make them more chewy, and then fried in a light batter coating. Yebin first came to Dublin as a student to busk on Grafton Street, inspired by the film 'Once'. A decade later he returned to work in Song and Jenn's. In South Korea, nobody at the table can eat until the elders have begun. The Fusion Kitchen table kept the tradition alive, without actually revealing ages!
With so many South Korean dishes on the table, prepared expertly by Yebin, who can help but smile!
Episode 6 - Nigerian spicy finale!
The jury is in and the verdict delivered. Nigerian food is hotter than Indian when it comes to spiciness. Jasmine, who tamed down the heat in her Indian dishes for episode 2 admitted that Ken's Nigerian 'suya' barbecue was at the edge of her spice tolerance. So for Linda, representing Ireland, and Tara herself, the food sent their spice alarm bells clanging. But the amazing flavours made the burn worthwhile. Ken runs a popular eatery on Palace Street in Drogheda called Suya Man where he brings the authentic flavours of his native Nigeria to a growing clientele of loyal customers. As was appropriate for the series finale, it was different. Ken brought a barrel barbecue to Tara's garden and after prepping chicken, beef and fish in the kitchen, the food was skewered and barbecued to perfection. Along with the barbecue, the diners were treated to jallof rice, fried plantain and yam chips. Ken did a costume change from his kitchen kit and showcased his culture with a spectacularly cool traditional suit, complete with a very elabourate cane and beeds. While Ukraine isn't known for spicy food, Mykola's partner Viktoria is a lover of spice and the suya had her in food heaven. The meal was washed down with Nigerian drinks - palm wine and a malted beverage, though it turns out that one of the big common denominators between Ireland and Nigeria is the love of a good pint of Guinness!
The heat is on! It’s Nigerian suya barbecue time with Ken for the final episode of the Fusion Kitchen series
