Heya beautiful hive souls. I know.... it has been a while since you’ve heard from me but it has been super busy in our little bakery with the postponed celebrations of the Khmer New Year.

I hope you are all well and corona isn’t causing too many issues. Here in Cambodia, it is easy to forget what is going on in the rest of the world. We have never been in lockdown or no real measures have been taken as we don’t seem to have many infections.

The country itself seems to be corona free. Everybody coming in needs to do a test, when positive everybody on the plane, or people they traveled with, need to go in quarantine.

Apart from us not being able to travel home to visit friends and family, life goes on like nothing ever happened. From the start, we have always focused our business around local people and expats. That’s why we are not so affected by corona as all the businesses that solemnly rely on foreign tourists.

With the government making it nearly impossible to leave and enter Cambodia, many Khmers are traveling down to the coast. This is good for hotel businesses and smaller businesses like ours that focus on Cambodian and expat customers.

In times like this, we feel very grateful to be here and still be able to make a living for ourselves. Let’s hope this craziness stops soon so everything can go back to a different normal.

HOMEMADE TRICOLOR BUCKWHEAT FAJITAS (VEGAN AND GLUTEN-FREE)

Ingredient in the spotlight: King Oyster Mushroom

Also known as the king trumpet or eryngii, the king oyster mushroom is the largest of the oyster mushroom family. They can grow up to 10-15 cm (4-6 inches) in length.

Unlike other oyster mushrooms, their stalks aren’t tough and woody. They are well-loved for their meaty texture and umami flavor. It’s texture often reminds people of abalone or scallops, which makes them an interesting option for vegetarians and vegans.

They are an excellent source of riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, potassium, copper, and dietary fiber. Furthermore, they contain good amounts of protein, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, iron, magnesium, zinc, and manganese. They are very low in calories, saturated fat, and cholesterol

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2)

The avo-basil sauce

1 avocado
A few cherry tomatoes
1 clove of garlic
A splash of lime juice
Fresh Italian basil leaves
Himalayan pink salt and black pepper to taste

The tricolor veggie mix

3 bell pepper, sliced
1.5 onion, sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic
1-2 king oyster mushroom (depending on their size), sliced
1½ cup cooked kidney beans
1 lime, juice only

Spice mix

1t-3t chili powder, depending on how spicy you like it
1 T cumin powder
1 t dried oregano
1 t smoked paprika
Himalayan pink salt and black pepper to taste

For the buckwheat flatbreads (makes 4)

1 cup buckwheat flour
1 T extra virgin olive oil
⅓ t baking powder
⅓ cup water
⅓ t Himalayan pink salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all avo-basil sauce ingredients in a small blender and process until a smooth sauce. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix all ingredients to make the buckwheat flatbreads. Roll into 4 small balls. Set aside.

Saute onion until fragrant, add garlic and cook 1 minute more before adding the bell pepper slices. Add spice mix and the juice of ½ lime. Cook until softened. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Or place in a slightly heated oven to keep warm.

Heat cooked kidney beans. Season with the juice of ½ lime, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Or place in a slightly heated oven to keep warm.

Cook king oyster slices until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Or place in a slightly heated oven to keep warm.

Dust a flat surface or cutting board with flour. Using a rolling pin or glass bottle if you don’t have a rolling pin, roll the 4 dough ball into flat discs.