Dunedin has become a second home, one that’s full of adventures, memorable meals and friendships that make the ups and downs of student life all the more meaningful.
Coming to Dunedin felt daunting at first. I was leaving home and entering an unknown world, one where classes are immersive, schedules are chaotic and the future often feels like a rolling boil of uncertainty. Yet, Dunedin quickly became a comforting canvas for my experiences. Ice skating at the stadium, beach days with friends, and countless visits to Rob Roy Dairy have filled my time here with moments I’ll always cherish. These simple pleasures kept me grounded in a time that’s otherwise been a whirlwind.
And then, of course, there’s the cooking. Baking and cooking have become my refuge and my way of sharing pieces of myself with others. In the tight quarters of student flats, our kitchens have become arenas for bonding.
With our mismatched pots and unpredictable ovens, I found myself kneading away the stress of deadlines, cooking up meals that reminded me of home, or simply whipping up something ridiculous just to make my friends laugh.
Food has become a bridge — a way to bring people together and create little islands of normalcy amid a chaotic schedule.
But it’s not all butter and sugar; being a student here has meant grappling with the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Every stir of a pot or rising dough has given me a sense of control when so much else feels out of my hands.
As I learn the art of cooking, I’ve also learned patience, resilience, and the importance of staying curious. Not every dish has turned out perfectly — much like life, there have been mishaps and spills along the way. Yet each one taught me something, whether it was culinary or a life lesson about perseverance.
The future feels as open as a freshly cracked cookbook, and I’m both nervous and excited about what’s next. All I know is that whatever path I take, food will be at its heart. Food is more than a career or a degree to me — it’s been my way of coping, connecting and finding myself in a new place.
Dunedin has been the backdrop for this journey, and as I leave, I know I’m taking with me a sense of belonging, resilience and an appreciation for the many flavours of life.
As a finale ode to student life, I want to leave behind three recipes that have a left a mark on my time here. My famous laksa was a staple meal in my first flat, frequently requested and always demolished in minutes. Now, it simply tastes like Dunedin. It encapsulates the feeling of togetherness that is so fundamental to student life.
The other two recipes, plum shortbread slice and s’mores cookies represent all the times spent baking for friends and flatmates, the simple joys that possess the power to ease homesickness, foster connections and ultimately make everything feel a little bit more manageable in the most turbulent times.
Laksa with Potato Flatbreads
Serves 4
Laksa
250ml vegetable stock
400ml can coconut milk
60g pre-made Laksa spice paste
1 large carrot cubed
1 medium sized bok choy
200g pumpkin cubed
½ head broccoli
½ head cauliflower
1 tin chickpeas rinsed
1 spring onion
2 handfuls of spinach
handful toasted cashews
a few leaves coriander
Flatbreads
500g agria potatoes
500g flour
Method
1. To begin, fill a large pot with water and bring to the boil. As the water is boiling, peel the potatoes and chop into rough cubes. Once the water has boiled, add the potatoes to the pot. Boil for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft enough to poke a fork in.
2. Drain the water from the potatoes and return to the pot. Place the pot back on the element for about 1 minute to steam any remaining liquid out — this dries out the potatoes a little bit for a drier mash.
3. To the potatoes, add a nob of butter and a pinch of salt. Mash thoroughly making sure there are no lumps.
4. Leave the mash to cool of 15 minutes before gradually adding the flour until a soft dough forms.
5. Once you have a soft dough, flour your work surface and roll an egg-sized ball of dough over it until nicely coated in flour.
6. Grab a rolling pin or wine bottle and roll out the ball of dough until about 5mm thick.
make sure to flour your rolling pin well as the dough is very soft and will stick easily
7. Repeat for rest of dough
8. Bring a dry pan up to a high heat and place flat bread in, flip after about a minute or the pan side has begun browning — it should look like a naan bread, and repeat on the other side.
9. place cooked flatbreads on a lined tray and place aside- these will be placed in oven 10 minutes before serving the laksa
For the Laksa:
1. In a large pot or wok heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil and fry off the paste with a few tablespoons of coconut milk until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2. When the paste is fragrant, add coconut milk and veggie stock and bring to a simmer.
3. Once simmering add pumpkin, carrot and cauliflower and leave for about 15 minutes or until veggies have softened setting a timer for 5 minutes.
5. Once Veggies are soft add broccoli and bok choy and chickpeas and simmer for about 5 minutes or until broccoli is cooked but still a little bit crisp.
6. Remove Laksa from the heat and stir through the spinach until wilted.
Serve laksa topped with coriander, chopped spring onion and cashews with flatbreads on the side.
Plum shortcake
Makes 9 pieces
1 large tin black Doris plums.
125g softened butter
½ cup sugar
1 egg
1 ½ cups flour
2 Tbsp cornflour
1 tsp baking powder
Method
Begin by lining a square slice tin with baking paper. Preheat oven to 180°C.
Open the tin of plums and using your fingers gently remove the pits from every fruit.
Place the pitted fruit in a separate bowl and put aside.
Add the softened butter and sugar into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat together until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and continue beating until combined.
Sieve the flour, cornflour, and baking powder into the mix and gently fold together until just combined.
Press two-thirds of the mix into the lined slice tin until the whole bottom is covered.
Evenly spread the plums over the top of the base making sure the whole surface is covered, then spread the remaining base mix over top in lumps, allowing some of the fruit to poke through.
Bake for approx 30 minutes or until golden.
Allow to cool before slicing and serving.
S’mores cookies
Makes 12 cookies
115g softened butter
215g brown sugar
1 large egg
1 Tbsp vanilla
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
210g flour
200g roughly chopped dark chocolate
100g mini marshmallows
Method
Add the butter, brown sugar and vanilla to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add the egg and beat in until fully combined.
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt to the bowl. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold the mix together until just combined.
Chop the chocolate into large chunks and add to the mix along with the mini marshmallows. Gently fold together until combined.
Roll the dough into golf ball-sized portions and place on a tray, plate or chopping board and place in the fridge for a few hours until the dough is firm.
When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 180°C and line a flat baking tray with baking paper. Place the cookies on the tray leaving about 5cm between them. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden.
