5 Ingredients, an Urban Family series where we sit down with a Shanghai-based chef and ask for a family-friendly meal using 5 Ingredients easily found in Shanghai; let us help you start the week with a simple five-step recipe!
This week we talked to wellness coach and plant-based chef Kimberly Ashton. After moving to Shanghai 15 years ago, Kimberly spent her first eight years working in corporate marketing and event management, before she moved on to follow her passion in health food, wellness and nutrition. She is the co-owner of food education platform and health food store Sprout Lifestyle, where she runs cooking classes, nutrition workshops, chef training and her own Cooking Teacher Training (CTT) course. Kimberly’s healthy-chef background comes from her study and training in holistic nutrition, raw cuisine, macrobiotics and Traditional Chinese Medicine food therapy. She currently consults for food brands, hotels, wellness studios, yoga studios, restaurant and cafes owners on menu and chef training.
Can you tell me about the dish you are helping us prepare this week?
Chickpea flour is one of my favorite ingredients, it’s easy to use and produces fantastic results. I find it filling, light in texture, wheat-free and it combines well with either sweet or savoury fillings. My favorite way of using it is in a crepe. You’ll find it’s used in Yunnan province to make chickpea ‘tofu’ cubes, and of course, in Indian cooking where it’s known as Besan flour.
What five ingredients do we need?
½ cup chickpea flour
½ cup water
¼ bunch of chives, washed and chopped
½ avocado, mashed
1 teaspoon sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (in oil or dried)
What is the five-step recipe?
1. Place the chickpea flour and water into a mixing bowl and mix together well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Heat your pan and add a small amount of oil as it heats (the amount will depend on your pan type, and how non-stick it is). Pour the batter into the pan to reach the desired size and thickness of your crepes.
3. Flip both sides of the crepes until golden brown, place on a plate and continue until all the batter is used.
4. Place the filling of avocado, chives and sundried tomatoes onto each crepe and fold or roll.
5. Serve with vegetables or a bean soup for a fabulous, healthy meal at any time of the day.
What’s your advice on your dish of the week?
My dish can be prepared with any fillings you like; your favorite vegetables, creamy avocado, cashew cheese or dips. You can eat it as an open crepe, or rolled as a wrap. It’s one of my favorites, as it’s quick and easy to make for a delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner. One special tip; add a pinch of turmeric powder to the batter to achieve a beautiful golden color when you panfry your crepes.
Tell us something that’s happening with your business at the moment, that our Urban Family community can enjoy.
In addition to our ongoing adult cooking classes, we will have wonderful children’s mindfulness and cooking classes in the next few months. If you believe like I do that health starts in the kitchen, then join our community of health seekers for a class, workshop, or training course. We also have our online store for those not in downtown Shanghai - we can deliver our healthy superfoods to you.
You know where to find me if you need chickpea flour! Scan our WeChat QR code for online and offline store details.
[Image via shutterstock]
For more 5 Ingredients recipes, click here.
