Raya Higgs | Contributors - Nourish plant-based living

Raya Higgs

Raya Higgs
Raya is a fully qualified vegan chef and the owner of Ayarah, a vegan cooking school in Perth, where she runs cooking classes and retreats. A former professional bodybuilding athlete, she also loves her four huskies, organic gardening, the outdoors, and inspiring others to live a plant-based lifestyle.

Articles by Raya Higgs

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Recipe

Red sushi with garlic mayo

Not only do these sushi rolls look gorgeous, they also taste incredible. These showstoppers will wow your friends!

- Raya Higgs
View ›
Recipe

Tempura veggies with wasabi dust

Japanese tempura is the best – crispy and crunchy, and definitely not oily. The wasabi dust gives this beautiful dish a nice little kick.

- Raya Higgs
View ›
Recipe

Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is a savoury pancake that is a popular street food from Osaka, Japan. It’s a favourite brunch for all who’ve tried it. You’ll...

- Raya Higgs

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Red sushi with garlic mayo

Raya Higgs

Not only do these sushi rolls look gorgeous, they also taste incredible. These showstoppers will wow your friends!

dinnerlunch
entertainingfinger foodgluten-free option
japanese

Ingredients

Makes 4 complete rolls

GARLIC MAYO

Method

  1. Start by making the garlic mayo. Add all the ingredients, except the grapeseed oil, into a tall cylinder. Using a handheld stick blender, blend the ingredients until smooth. Slowly add the oil while blending until you get a thick emulsion. This takes a few minutes. Once thick and creamy, pour into a squeeze bottle and place in the fridge to cool.
  2. To make the sushi rolls, add the cooked beetroot to the rice and mirin. Mix through until evenly combined.
  3. Place 1 sheet of the nori on a bamboo mat, shiny side down. Cover the nori with a layer of rice, about ½ cm thick.
  4. Next, add vegetables and tofu in a horizontal line across the sheet, leaving a 1 cm gap from the edge closest to you. Once you have a few pieces of each vegetable and tofu on the rice, you are ready to roll.
  5. To roll, start by pulling up the edge closest to you and roll it over the ingredients. Use the mat to help tuck it in towards yourself to give a tight roll. Continue to roll until sealed closed. Set aside and make the other rolls.
  6. Once finish, slice the sushi roles into 2 cm-thick pieces and then place on a plate to serve. Squeeze a little garlic mayo over the sushi and top with some edible flowers for extra prettiness.
Raya Higgs
Raya Higgs

Raya is a fully qualified vegan chef and the owner of Ayarah, a vegan cooking school in Perth, where she runs cooking classes and retreats.

This recipe was originally published in Nourish plant-based living, Issue 69 • View magazine

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Tempura veggies with wasabi dust

Raya Higgs

Japanese tempura is the best – crispy and crunchy, and definitely not oily. The wasabi dust gives this beautiful dish a nice little kick.

side dishstarter
entertaining
japanese

Ingredients

Serves 2

BATTER

WASABI DUST

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 140°C.
  2. Spread the wasabi onto a piece of baking paper on a tray. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until dry. Remove from the oven and place in a small bowl. Grind until dust forms, then add the green tea and set aside.
  3. To make the batter, place the flour in a large bowl, add the iced water and mayonnaise, then whisk until smooth. Try to work quickly so you don’t overwork the batter. Place in the fridge to keep cold.
  4. To a saucepan, add enough vegetable oil to completely cover the vegetables when frying. Heat the oil to 180°C.
  5. When the oil is heated, remove the batter from the fridge. Dip all the vegetables into the batter using chopsticks or tongs, then place straight into the oil. Fry in batches, so you don’t overfill the saucepan. Cook each piece for about 1 minute or until lightly golden. Remove and place on paper towel to drain. Repeat until all veggies are cooked.
  6. To serve, place the tempura vegetables in a bowl, sprinkle with the wasabi and green tea dust, and drizzle some extra vegan mayo over the top.

TIP: The secret to getting a really crisp batter is using ice water. This also prevents gluten strings from forming. The less gluten, the higher the crispness. The cold batter also gains crispness from the temperature shock of hitting the hot oil.

Raya Higgs
Raya Higgs

Raya is a fully qualified vegan chef and the owner of Ayarah, a vegan cooking school in Perth, where she runs cooking classes and retreats.

This recipe was originally published in Nourish plant-based living, Issue 69 • View magazine

Enjoying our inspiring stories? Sign up to our newsletter and receive our latest editorial and offers directly in your inbox.

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Okonomiyaki

Raya Higgs

Okonomiyaki is a savoury pancake that is a popular street food from Osaka, Japan. It’s a favourite brunch for all who’ve tried it. You’ll absolutely love this vegan version!

brunchside dish
gluten-free option
japanese

Ingredients

Serves: 2   

TO SERVE

Method

  1. Place the chickpea flour and water into a large bowl and mix until smooth. Add the cabbage, carrot, onion, ginger, dashi stock powder, and salt, then mix until well combined. Set aside to rest.
  2. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat.
  3. Place half the mixture into the frying pan and spread it out until it covers the pan. Leave a little space around the edges to make it easier when it’s time to flip. Cook for 3–4 minutes or until golden. Gently flip and cook the remaining side for 2 minutes. Repeat for the remaining mixture.
  4. Place each pancake on a plate to serve. Top with a drizzle of vegan mayonnaise and sprinkle of spring onions and edible flowers. Enjoy!

TIP: We used Spiral Foods kombu shiitake dashi.

 

Raya Higgs
Raya Higgs

Raya is a fully qualified vegan chef and the owner of Ayarah, a vegan cooking school in Perth, where she runs cooking classes and retreats.

This article is an edited extract from Nourish plant-based living, Issue 69 • View magazine

Enjoying our inspiring stories? Sign up to our newsletter and receive our latest editorial and offers directly in your inbox.

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YOUR INPUT