Creative quarantine meals
Published:Thursday | March 26, 2020 | 12:00 AM
SHANIA DALEY has been home for the past week in an attempt to flatten the coronavirus curve. This means she has more time to play with recipes, cook and share her food journey with the world. As they say, we eat first with our eyes, and each dish prepared and presented on her new blog, @stalk.chefshan, has grabbed the attention of quite a few foodies.
Having taken on a mostly pescatarian diet since the start of 2020 to improve the symptoms of endometriosis, Daley has made dishes such as lobster ramen with the broth made from scratch, tacos made with cabbage and beans, and even refreshing breakfast acai bowls topped with fresh fruits and nuts.
“I’m from the country, and I grew up watching my grandmother and father cook big spreads for my family. I learnt a lot just by watching them. When I moved to Kingston for school, my sister taught me how to make fancier meals and plate them just as how you’d get it at a five-star restaurant,” she said as she explained her love for food.
Variety is the spice of life and the Glengoffe native has a little help incorporating foods from different countries into her diet. “I have a Nigerian friend who taught me how to make jollof rice, it’s sort of a one pot meal with different flavours,” she said. As a strong believer in flavour, she adds mashed pumpkin, a serving of ital stew and fried ripe plantains to her basmati rice bowl to make a balanced meal. Sometimes, depending on the mood, she may opt to add a little pickled salt fish to the dish.
Daley recently had a pleasurable slip in diet. There, sitting in the freezer, was some easy popcorn chicken that she could easily turn into a meal. And so, the spicy chicken sandwich smothered in Russian dressing was made. “It was so good, I felt not one ounce of regret,” she said with a chuckle.
What adds to the blog’s aesthetic is the use of calabash bowls that Daley makes with her friends during her spare time. Since the Government has ordered an additional 14 days of social distancing, this young food blogger hopes to figure out how to make tasty vegan meals and try a hand at baked delicacies.
It’s the one time stalking is acceptable, so go on over to @stalk.chefshan on Instagram to see amazing food content.