Khanh Nguyen isn’t one to be bound by convention. The food at Sunda, his restaurant tucked into Punch Lane in central Melbourne, celebrates both contemporary Southeast Asian flavours and Australian ingredients in a menu that speaks to the city and his place in it, more than to tradition. “I wanted Sunda to be a representation of who I was as a chef,” he says.
In practice, that looks like buttermilk roti served with Vegemite curry dipping sauce, and Sydney rock oysters topped with coconut-curry vinaigrette and Tasmanian pepperleaf.
The drive to create his own style was sparked by an internship with Noma Australia. “The best advice René Redzepi gave me,” he says, “was to cook food that is true to yourself.” This is what inspires him at Sunda; it’s at once creative, and deeply personal. What you won’t find on the menu, however, are the family-style meals that form a vital part of the day-to-day staff experience.
The recipes here are riffs on these family meals; some are Nguyen’s, others are from his team. And like the food on the main menu, they take cues from different people and places.
The buttermilk fried chicken, for example, mixes Southeast Asian and southern American flavours. Thai-style chicken larb, from a chef Nguyen worked with at Mr Wong, is a favourite: “It’s textural and refreshing,” says Nguyen. Others are perfect for this time of year: a fish curry, cooked rendang-style, or chicken poached in a masterstock, which can be reused again and again.
The dishes represent a melting pot of cuisines and cultures, as well as ideas from a new generation of chefs. “The staff dishes are sometimes evolved for the menu,” says Nguyen. They’re meals that keep on giving, best shared with your own family and friends.
Sunda, 18 Punch Ln, Melbourne, Vic, (03) 9654 8190, sunda.com.au
Words by Lisa Featherby, recipes by Khanh Nguyen.
Beef rice-paper rolls
“This is probably my favourite thing to eat of all time, and it’s really fun, because everyone can roll their own,” says Khanh Nguyen. “The dipping sauce is my grandma’s recipe but I’ve added brown butter for extra richness. It’s seriously addictive.”
Masterstock-poached chicken with ginger and spring onion relish
Masterstock-poached chicken with ginger and spring onion relish
“This is another staff meal loved at Sunda,” says Nguyen. “The masterstock is really aromatic and pretty much
lasts forever. After each use, strain the stock, bring it to a rapid boil, chill it down quickly, and then freeze it until the next use. The flavour of the stock improves with each use, though you’ll need to top it up with water, light soy and dark soy sauce, and every 3-4 uses you’ll need to add fresh spices. The chicken is served with a traditional relish.”
Fish curry with cucumber salad and coriander chutney
Fish curry with cucumber salad and coriander chutney
“These recipes are by two chefs, Nabil and Chi Ping, who work here,” says Nguyen. “They are based on recipes their mothers used to cook them. Nabil’s fish curry has to be one of the best curries I’ve ever had, and Chi Ping’s cucumber salad adds a really nice freshness and cuts through the richness of the curry.”
Lamb ma po tofu with green beans
Lamb ma po tofu with green beans
“This is a recipe I learnt from Dan Hong at Mr Wong,” says Nguyen. “Since then, I’ve cooked it at almost every place I’ve worked and its always been a hit.”
Buttermilk fried chicken with waffles
Buttermilk fried chicken with waffles
“This is a Sunda kitchen favourite,” says Nguyen. “I use wingettes which have a good ratio of meat to skin, and stay juicy.”
Thai-style chicken larb
“This is one of my favourite staff meals: textural and refreshing,” says Nguyen. “At Mr Wong, I worked with Pla Rojratanavichai who now owns Khao Pla in Sydney. He taught me the basics of Thai cuisine.”
Crisp rice salad
“This is a simpler version of a Lao-style rice salad,” says Nguyen. “It’s great served as a side dish.” The curry paste makes double what you need, but the remainder can be frozen for later.
