Cheating in the Kitchen

Editorial

Mama’s making kantong. I feel like chicken tonight. Just shake and bake. Are there traces of these items echoing through your pantry and refrigerator? No? Perhaps Maggie Beer’s sauces are more your thing. Does this serving suggestion of Tomato and Basil Sugo resonate: ‘for a great meal in 15 minutes, simply warm sugo and toss through good quality pasta’? It would appear that short cuts are back in fashion.

When I was living with an aunt in Melbourne, she used to make Pavlova from a pre-packed mix called Pavlova Magic. All that needed to be added were sugar and water. And like magic, the pav is always crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Pancake mixes are another example of an oversubscribed short cut. For perfect pancakes, just add milk and eggs. And yet, the culinary snob in us frowns upon them. When I was in Paris, I came across a packet mix for macarons. I bought them as a souvenir and served them to some guests I had over one evening. Revelation of how these were made was greeted with awe rather than judgment. So the equation is rather simple, if it is imported hoity-toity produce, it is okay to cheat in the kitchen.

Clearly there is a fine line between nasty and nice. Maggie Beer’s Portobello and Porcini Mushroom with Crème Fraiche soup - yes; Knorr instant sweet potato mash mix - no. We are living in a society where the culinary posh short cuts are celebrated. ‘Nigella cheats’ or the more acceptable name, Nigella Express, takes short cuts on a regular basis with her garlic-infused oil and her plastic lime juice, yet everything looks deliciously sublime with every one of her finger-licks.

Perhaps it is a case of how confident you are as a cook. Some might believe it is okay to use short cuts as long as the ingredients are of good quality. Raspberry Eton Mess is a classic example: if you use fresh raspberries and freshly whipped cream, does it matter that the crumbled up meringue is the pre-made stuff from Coles? Or would you rather do it the precise way as described by model-turned-chef, Lorraine Pascale in a four paragraph instructional blog?

I am a firm believer of making everything from scratch, from stocks and pastes, to cakes and puddings. That said, some shortcuts have a nostalgic factor. In a recent trip back to Malaysia, my sister got me asam laksa-flavoured two-minute noodles. I must confess, I am a descendant of the stock granules and two-minute noodles generation. And while those noodles don’t taste so good now, a little bit of nostalgia goes a long way.

But in an era where everyone is looking for easy, delicious and calorie-forgiving options, is the only solution a quick trip to Simon Johnson’s? And where do we draw the line? Does the occasional slip up with the odd shake and bake mean we are one step away from including fast food in our weekly menu?

Alvin Quah for Citysearch, November 2011