The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters 840: Holiday Traditions Around the World with Hetty Lui McKinnon and Yasmin Khan
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Dec 19, 2025 In this engaging conversation, Hetty Lui McKinnon, a Chinese-Australian cookbook author, shares her vibrant Australian Christmas traditions and her vegetable-forward approach to cooking. From late-night seafood barbecues to her unique Coronation Cauliflower recipe, Hetty captures the essence of summer holidays. Yasmin Khan, an expert in Persian cuisine, reveals the magic of Yalda Night, highlighting its rich traditions of poetry, pomegranates, and seasonal gatherings. She also offers insights into her vegetarian interpretations of classic Persian dishes like Fesenjan.
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Linger As A Food Ethos
- Hetty McKinnon treats 'lingering' as an ethos that centers food as a way to connect people over spontaneous gatherings.
- Salads are her vehicle for creativity and conversation because they invite sharing and start dialogue.
Aussie 'Mishmash' Christmas
- Hetty remembers her Australian Christmas as a 'mishmash' table blending Chinese dishes, barbecue and seafood prepared weeks ahead.
- Her wife and children's preferences shaped traditions like making sausage rolls and buying market seafood at midnight.
Blend Traditions And Use Asian Greens
- Try combining culturally meaningful ingredients to create hybrid dishes that bridge traditions and flavors.
- Use seasonal Asian greens like gai lan in salads or seared preparations to add crunch and mustardy flavor.