Recipes from What I Cook When Nobody is Watching by Poh Ling Yeow

"It's only taken me two decades, appreciating quality produce from my local farmers' market and growing my own food, to realise that olive oil, salt and pepper are all you really want when the ingredients are so close to perfection - perhaps a squeeze of lemon to enliven 'the buds' and balance," she says.

She's also feeling qualified to impart some hard-earned wisdom.

"So this is part cookbook, part daggy, DIY household tips and part 'Pohlosophies'. But I don't do any of the things I'm giving advice on brilliantly at all. I'm just trying like every other schmuck.

"Don't worry about the way you look, keep being guided by your gut and don't be concerned about the chaos of curiosity because it's the thing that keeps yielding infinite adventure," she says.

Since she first appeared on MasterChef in 2009, Poh has been named a national treasure. She was named our favourite TV contestant of the decade in 2020, hosting shows on SBS and Nine along the way. This is her fourth cookbook.

"It's a lovely, if at times a bewildering emotion, to feel you can connect so meaningfully to complete strangers but I've always moved through the media landscape with equal parts gratitude and skepticism," she says.

"Authenticity and conviction is key for resonance, but staying curious, and working like a dog helps too!"

Does she have any guilty pleasures?

"I'm happy to admit that Spam, instant noodles and Chicken Crimpys are high on the list."

And in the fridge?

"Butter, parmesan, wombok, milk and kimchi."

I just dig bouncy mouthfeel things and desserts are no exception. If you love pandan flavour, like most do, you'll enjoy this moreish tea cake that gets its name from the curious tunnels that line the cross-section of the cake. For the non-bakers, I have great news - this cake requires minimal technique yet near to guaranteed success!

1. Grease a round 20cm (NOT non-stick) cake tin with vegetable oil. Place in the oven to preheat at 180C fan-forced.

2. Combine the coconut milk, sugar, pandan and salt in a small heatproof bowl and microwave on high for one minute. Add the vegetable oil and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Press the tip of a whisk into the yolks to burst them, then sift in the tapioca and rice flours, cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda. Whisk until just smooth, then add the coconut milk mixture and whisk again to combine. Pass the batter through a sieve to press out any lumps, making sure to scrape the bottom of the sieve to include all the mixture. Whisk once again then pour into the heated cake tin. Drop the cake tin onto a work surface from a 5cm height, several times, to be rid of bubbles.

4. Bake for 35 minutes or until the surface of the cake springs back easily when gently pressed. Immediately invert the cake tin onto a wire cooling rack. When completely cooled, run a paring knife around the edge of the tin to release the cake, then, using your fingers, gently and gradually tease the bottom of the cake away from the tin. This will feel wrong but persist - the texture of this particular cake tolerates the manhandling! Sometimes the cake will unmould itself. In this instance, immediately flip it so it's right side up again - otherwise you'll squish all those beautiful tunnels.

5. This cake stores beautifully at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two days, but I doubt it'll last that long!

Tip: *I find Asian brands work best.

Feeds 10.

Pro chefs are known for being cowboy eaters. When my mate Scottie Pickett suggested we eat my kimchi dumplings with Thai chilli jam, I was convinced it was a tragic white man move, but even more annoying is that it worked so well. I should have known sweet and shrimpy would be great friends of pork and kimchi. However, please go to the effort of finding a respected Thai brand of chilli jam from an Asian grocer or it might not be an adventure worth having. Also, if the steam-fry method seems too difficult for you, you can simply boil the dumplings (they are ready when they float).

1. To make the dumpling skins, place the flour in a medium bowl, make a well in the middle and, using chopsticks or a fork, mix in enough of the boiling water to bind the flour into a rough ball. When the dough has cooled a little and is safe to touch, switch to using your hands and knead into a pliable ball - it shouldn't need flour to prevent it from sticking to the benchtop.

2. Divide the dough into two pieces and roll into cylinders 3cm in diameter. Anytime the dough feels sticky, dust with more flour. Slice the cylinders into 2cm thick discs, then flatten them with the palm of your hand. Toss them with plenty of flour, then cover with an overturned bowl to stop them from drying out.

3. To make the pork and kimchi filling, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon or clean hands.

4. Use a dumpling rolling pin to roll out the skins until they are about 1mm thick - roll from the outer edge towards the centre of the circle, as this helps maintain an even circle. Place about one teaspoon of the filling in the middle. Crimp the edges of the dumplings together to seal. When crimping, pleat only one side of the wrapper - this will pull the dumpling into a traditional crescent shape. If this sounds too difficult, simply pinch the edges to seal well, but rest the dumpling on a well-floured baking tray with the seam pointing upwards so there's a nice flat bottom for crisping up.

5. To cook the dumplings, grease a large non-stick frying pan well with olive oil, then arrange the dumplings in a single layer with at least 1 cm of space between them. Fill the pan with about 6mm of water and shake the pan very gently to make sure the dumplings slide easily. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the water is nearly all evaporated, shaking the pan occasionally to loosen the dumpling bottoms so they don't stick. Remove the lid and allow the bottoms to crisp up to a golden brown.

6. To serve, turn the dumplings upside down so the crispy bottoms are facing up or you will steam the crunch away! Combine the Chinkiang vinegar and ginger and divide between two dipping bowls. Add a heaped dessertspoon of Thai chilli jam but don't mix it together so diners can use both condiments as they please. Serve with the hot dumplings.

Feeds 2 as a main.

This dish is SO quick, easy and stupidly delicious. Don't worry when the chicken looks a bit steamy halfway through cooking. When it's done it will be beautifully glossy and saucy. If you don't want to do the pickles, you can eat it with store-bought kimchi or blanched Asian greens, but the cucumber is beautifully refreshing.

1. Combine the gochujang, gochugaru, soy sauce or tamari, sesame oil and sugar in a small bowl and mix well.

2. Combine the olive oil, leek or spring onion, salt, ginger and garlic in a medium-large non-stick frying pan over high heat and cook until everything starts to turn a tad golden. Add the chicken and sauce. Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens but stays nice and glossy. AND THAT'S IT!

3. Serve with steamed rice, coriander and yummo pickled cukes.

Tip: To remove grit from leeks, partially slice them into quarters lengthways (about one-third in from the top), then soak top-side down in a jug of water.

Feeds 4.

These cucumber pickles are insanely moreish. They are brilliant as a snack too. Crunchy, nutty, salty, sour, sweet, spicy and garlicky all at once ... I'm salivating just writing this.

1. Cut the cucumbers into quarters lengthways and slice the seeds away. Slice them diagonally into 4-5mm thick spears.

2. Toss the cucumber in a colander with the salt and refrigerate uncovered for one hour with a plate underneath to catch the liquid.

3. Meanwhile, to make the pickling liquid, stir all the ingredients in a large bowl until well combined and most of the sugar has dissolved.

4. Squeeze the heck out of the cucumber in handfuls, to remove all excess liquid, then combine with the pickling liquid. Stir well and refrigerate overnight in an airtight container before eating.

5. These pickles will keep well refrigerated for up to three weeks.

Makes about 2 x 500ml jars.

A traditional pho can take an entire day to make, but this version takes a mere 35 minutes in a pressure cooker and honestly packs as much flavour as one that's been simmering for hours. I opt for pull-apart beef rather than the traditional finely sliced kind, because it's what's used to make the stock, so it's the obvious thing to do. Don't fret if you don't have a pressure cooker - it will be about a 2-hour old-fashioned simmer on the stove with an equally brilliant result.

1. With a mortar and pestle, lightly bash the garlic, ginger and all the spices separately, so they are just broken but no more.

2. Melt the reserved fat from the brisket in a large saucepan or pressure cooker over medium-low heat, until you have about two tablespoons of liquid (or use two tablespoons of vegetable oil). Discard the solid fat then add the garlic, ginger, spices and chunks of onion. Saute over medium-high heat for four minutes until very fragrant, then stir in the water, fish sauce and sugar. Add the beef, secure the cover and pressure-cook for 35 minutes - or, if you are using a regular saucepan, place on the lowest simmer and cook, covered, for two hours or until the beef easily pulls apart.

3. Remove the beef from the broth and shred with two forks, removing any excess fat. Strain the broth through a sieve to remove the aromatics and spices. If there is a lot of fat on the surface, skim o and discard. Return the broth and shredded beef to the pressure cooker or saucepan, add the noodles and sliced onion, cover, then wait for 5 minutes for the noodles to soften.

4. Serve piping hot with the bits and pieces in the centre of the table. The hoisin and sriracha are for dipping the beef in, so place these in individual dishes.

Feeds up to 7.