Caitriona Redmond: My recipe for chicken soup in minutes using a freezer ingredient
Homemade dumpling and noodles, cooked with broth
I love being exposed to other cultures and, significantly, their food. In my estate alone, we have over 40 different ethnic backgrounds, which are reflected across the town, and I’m sure this is a mirror for many other towns in Ireland. There can sometimes be apprehension in communities about introducing new cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Still, I’ve found that embracing the new (to me) has reaped the rewards in my kitchen.
While I have plenty of conventional supermarkets within walking distance, the international markets attract me the most, and this is where I get many of my store cupboard and freezer ingredients. I’ve discovered frozen gyoza and other items that I can keep on hand in the freezer for meal emergencies. My trusty ginger and garlic paste in a jar has saved me so much time and adds fragrance to many a meal and stew. I source the lot from the international market and not the supermarket for bulk bags of rice, flour, and spices. I also pick up my Irish soft and leafy herbs there, like flat-leaf parsley, sage and mint, because the markets don’t just stock international brands; they also support Irish producers.
