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London Lunch Box: Spiced pork omelette

If you are going through a tough emotional time, you may find that food can taste beige and bland, and cooking may not be a priority. But it is now, more than ever, when you need to care for yourself and feed your soul with extra flavours.

The trick here is not to go overboard. Before I tended to use spice with a heavy hand, but when you have a weighty heart, a light touch is key. Use spice to enhance food the same way you would by seasoning with salt and pepper, with the aim being to make the food taste like a better version of itself.

A rub of turmeric, with ginger and preserved lemon, for colour and warmth, can transform a roast chicken. Tangy sumac in a cauliflower cheese. Or try a sprinkle of paprika, for smokiness and heat, to finish stews and soups. Adding a cinnamon stick briefly to a lentil dhal can add an extra layer of taste. There is something luxurious about putting a pinch of saffron into a curry, or when cooking grains and pulses (see last week’s column for a saffron orzo recipe).

For this week's lunch box we’re using spiced crispy pork packed into an omelette with crunchy carrots and radishes. Try this for when you need a gentle jolt to revive your senses.

Ingredients (serves 1)

2 tsp olive oil

60g pork mince

½ a small red chilli, finely sliced (deseeded if you like less heat)

½ tsp coriander seeds, crushed

3 medium eggs

1 small carrot, thinly sliced into matchsticks

3 radishes, thinly sliced

Small handful of fresh coriander leaves, roughly torn

Sea salt flakes, cracked black pepper

Method

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the pork, season and cook until golden brown and crispy, stirring a few times to break it up. Turn the heat down to low, stir in the chilli and coriander seeds and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Transfer from the pan.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and season. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in the same pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot, wipe the pan with kitchen paper to spread the oil evenly. Pour in the eggs and turn the heat down to low. With a spatula, draw the edges into the middle a couple of times. Cook until it is beginning to set around the edges, around 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle the carrots and radishes on top then fold the omelette over in half. Transfer to a plate. This is great served hot or at room temperature. Just before eating scatter with the coriander.

Laoise (Lee-sha) is a chef, food stylist and writer, living in London. Follow her on Twitter @laoisecooks and Instagram @laoisecooks. She studied at Leiths School of Food and Wine, where she now teaches. She has worked in a number of top London restaurants including The Dairy in Clapham and Paradise Garage in Bethnal Green.