If you have taken time to explore Melbourne’s lovely laneways you most likely would have stumbled upon the iconic Gingerboy sign nestled in Crossley Street. Behind the vibrant, fluoro sign is the renowned restaurant of the same name.

Food for Thought chef Leigh Power is Head Chef at Gingerboy. His professional experience is diverse and whilst he has a background in classic European cooking (he worked at The Treasury, Melbourne) he has always had a passion for Asian flavours. Fittingly Leigh worked for two years as Sous Chef at Gingerboy and in 2011 was promoted to Head Chef.

Leigh took a moment to chat with us about why he has chosen to support the Foundation and the foods that he loves. He has even shared a handy cooking tip and recipe. Thanks Leigh!

Is there a particular reason you are drawn to the National Stroke Foundation?

Yes, my Grandfather had a stroke a far while ago. Fortunately he is okay and still alive but I have certainly seen the negative effects of stroke. It has been very hard for my Grandfather. I hope that I never have to live through anything like that.

What inspires you when you are developing recipes?

Well the food here at Gingerboy is based on hawker markets and hawker stalls throughout Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. I have always had a passion for Asian flavours (even though my background is in European cooking). Most recently I spent time in Spain. The food there was amazing so I have tried to draw a lot from the Spanish food. It’s the freshness of their food that I love, especially the seaside restaurants in San Sebastian. I found the pinchos and tapas to be so colourful and I think that the Gingerboy food is certainly like that.

A food that inspires you is… soy.

What dishes get your top recommendation on the Gingerboy menu?

There are a few things on here that I really love. I love slow cooked food, so the duck leg is slow braised. The ox cheek that is on now is really beautiful too, it’s marinated for 24 hours.

Where do you source your products?

We try and source most of our produce locally as we want to promote the sustainability of Victorian farmers. We aim for mostly Australian produce and we are trying to implement that with our wine list. We even have a Gingerboy Pinot from a maker in Geelong.

Do you have a handy cooking tip for our readers?

Yes I have an easy one for avocados: If you want to cut your avocado before it is time to serve keep the stone and put it back in the avocado. This will stop the avocado from oxidising because the stone takes on the air in the actual avocado.

A song that you like to prepare food to is… Foo Fighters Generator

Gingerboy
27/29 Crossley Street Melbourne VIC 3000
www.gingerboy.com.au
(03) 9662 4200

Soy cured ocean trout, tumeric, coconut caramel and pickled daikon

This dish has become a bit of a gingerboy signature, the soy cures the trout nicely over night. The trout melts in your mouth as the fat makes it nice and creamy to eat. The dressing uses fresh tumeric which adds a great colour and flavour to this dish.

Serves 4 as a banquet

Ocean trout
600 g ocean trout filet, skin of and deboned
600 ml light soy sauce
4 star anise, lightly toasted
3 lemons, zested and juiced
4 spring onions, white end only washed and roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
30 g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon castor sugar
Tumeric, coconut caramel
150 g palm sugar, grated
80 ml water
60 ml shiso vinegar
150 ml coconut cream
10 g tumeric, peeled and finely chopped
6 spring onions, white end only and finely sliced
3 large green chillis, finely sliced
80 ml lime juice
2 pinch’s sea salt
Pickled chinese radish
1 small white radish, peeled
1 cup coriander leaves, picked and washed
250 ml sichuan pepper pickle

Ocean trout

Place the ocean trout into a small deep tray, then in a mixing bowl place the rest of the ingredients and let it sit for 10 minutes so the flavours can infuse.

The ocean trout will take 20 – 24 hours to cure, so pour the liquid over the top. It should be covered with the curing liquid if so cover with cling film and place in the fridge, if it is not covered completely with liquid you will need to pull it out after 10 hours and flip the trout over. Once cured take the trout out of the marinade and let it sit on a clean tray ready to be sliced. Set up a chopping board and place the trout down and using a very sharp knife, slice gently about 1 - 2mm in thickness then lay it down on the tray. Once sliced cover with glad wrap and reserve on the fridge until needed.

Tumeric coconut caramel

Place the palm sugar in a pot with the water and put it on to the stove on a medium heat. The sugar will turn to a nice golden caramel which takes about 6 – 8 minutes, then add the turmeric and chillis and wait for 30 seconds before adding the coconut cream and shiso vinegar. Bring back to a gentle simmer then turn it off as you need to melt the caramel back down, take of the heat and reserve on the side. Once cool add the lime juice, salt and spring onions.
Pickled chinese radish

Peel the outside skin of the radish and discard, then using the peeler peel the radish from top to bottom in to a bowl, you should end up with ribbon looking pieces of radish. Place them into a bowl and then pour the pickle liquid over the top, and let it sit on the side for about 20 minutes.

To serve

Place 8 -10 slices of ocean trout on the plate in a neat circle, then 2 tablespoons of tumeric, coconut caramel over the top and around the trout. Mix the coriander through the radish then place neatly in the middle of the trout.

An important social marketing campaign has dramatically improved stroke awareness in Victoria, with over 800,000 additional people able to identify the signs of stroke since the campaign began.

The National Stroke Foundation’s simple and life-saving FAST test – asking the public to call an ambulance if they see anyone experiencing facial weakness, arm weakness or speech difficulties – is an awareness campaign that has been significantly supported by the Victorian Government since 2007.

A new survey, launched in Melbourne today (21st March) has shown awareness of one or more of the key signs of stroke included in the FAST test has dramatically increased in Victoria in the last five years.

Each year since 2007, a sample cross-section of Victorian adults aged over 40 has been randomly telephoned for a structured, seven-minute interview about signs of stroke.

These knowledge surveys show that an increasing number of Victorians recognise the signs of stroke - which is good news for the community, National Stroke Foundation CEO Dr Erin Lalor said.

“When you see the signs of stroke – call an ambulance – the life you save may not be your own,” she said.

But the survey found that despite the increased awareness many people do not call an ambulance immediately.

“There are many other signs of stroke but facial weakness, arm weakness and speech difficulties occur in around nine out of 10 strokes,” Dr Lalor said.

Melbourne stroke survivor Maureen Lesjak credits her husband’s fast thinking to her recovery from a major stroke.

“My husband recognised the signs of stroke and I was able to get medical help within half an hour,” Ms Lesjak said.

Dr Lalor said the only response to suspected stroke was to call an ambulance immediately.

“Thinking FAST and calling an ambulance if stroke is suspected is critical because early treatment can mean the difference between death or severe disability and a good recovery from stroke,” Dr Lalor said.

“Strokes can occur to anyone of any age and at any time but every Victorian has the power to save a life by thinking FAST and acting FAST when they recognise the signs of stroke.”

Every 10 minutes in Australia, someone suffers a stroke, Australia’s second biggest killer after heart disease and a leading cause of disability.

The National Stroke Foundation’s FAST test contains simple steps to quickly establish if someone around you is having a stroke and understand the urgency of calling triple zero (000).

FAST is an easy way to remember and recognise the signs of stroke:

Face – Has the person’s mouth drooped?
Arms – Can they lift both arms?
Speech – Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?
Time – Time is critical. If you see any of these signs, call 000 now

“While this important campaign has raised stroke awareness, we still have a long way to go and we encourage everyone to keep promoting stroke awareness,” Dr Lalor said.

Image via signsabound.com

Communication, difficult issues & adapting lives

When a condition is first diagnosed, there are so many things to work through that sex is often low on the list of concerns. Eventually, the urge to return to intimacy and a sexual life is likely to be important for most people - of all ages.

Then the questions begin. Is it possible? Is it safe? Am I being selfish even considering it? Will he or she still find me attractive? Can I be a good lover? Will my erection last? Can I have an orgasm? What if I lose bladder control during sex? How can I have sex when I’m always tired? Will my partner continue to love me? How do I get interested in sex when I am dealing with everything else?

Keeping channels of communication open and discovering appropriate avenues for sexual expression can have significant benefits to your overall feelings of happiness and wellbeing. If you are having problems, do ask your doctor or condition-specific support organisation for advice or more information.

Stroke

A common worry for people after stroke is whether  sexual activity will cause another stroke. The concern here is blood pressure. We all experience a sudden rise in blood pressure as excitement increases, but if it is already high this can cause problems.

Check with your doctor. It also helps to make having sex more effortless, and your partner may need to take a more active part. A partner with high blood pressure is also likely to be on tablets to control it. These may affect the ability to have intercourse. If this is a problem, talk to your doctor. There are tablets that do not have this side effect.

How chronic conditions affect sexual activity

Difficulties often arise as chronic neurological conditions progress, such as:

• physical changes
• cognitive changes
• fatigue
• incontinence
• emotional responses
• personality changes
• self-esteem and self-image
• physical changes

For example, symptoms such as paralysis, weakness, spasticity, poor balance, muscle wasting or pain may require couples to adjust their positioning or types of sexual activity.

Cognitive changes

Brain damage can affect cognitive (thinking) abilities that have an impact on a person’s sex life. For example, emotional instability (often part of ABI) and poor communication due to speech dificulites can be distruptive.

Fatigue

Fatigue can have a significant impact but if you know it is most likely to occur, you can plan time together around it. Medications can also increase or decrease tiredness or change muscle function, which you may need to take into account as well.

Incontinence

The fear of bladder or bowel accidents makes some people uneasy but there are ways to minimise the likelihood: go to the toilet immediately before love-making, adopt postitions that minimise the chance of reflex emptying of the bladder and having towels and a sense of humour on hand, just in case.

Emotional responses

Depression, anxiety and stress occur either as a result of changes in the brain or in reaction to brain injury and can also reduce sexual desire. If depression is an issue, treatment can make a huge difference. Talk to your doctor. Strategies for reducing stress can also help.

Personality change

When brain injury affects aspects of someone’s personality, it can feel like you are living with a stranger. Occasionally, demanding or inappropriate sexual advances are an issue. A neuropyschologist can help with strategies that minimise difficult new behaviours.

Selt-esteem and self-image

Sexual response is also tied up with our self-image and self-esteem. Both depend on our ability to accept ourselves and to not be influenced negatively by the perceptions of others, but both are challenges when someone becomes chronically ill. Self-image can take a battering when a person’s physical appearance changes. Selt-esteem can falter if the person is less physically able to engage in sexual activites. If these are serious issues for you, consider seeing a sex counsellor or joining a support group. Your doctor or condition-specific group can help with referrals.

The well partner

Well partners often experience guilt, frustration, resentment, anger, exhaustion, depression or a combination of these states. It’s hard to switch from the role of carer to the role of lover.

Some carer-partners play down their own concerns for fear of seeming selfish or complaining to a loved one whose ego may already be fragile. All elements can generate anxiety and dampen interest and pleasure in sex. It is important for carers to identify their needs, so don’t be afraid or feel selfish when asking for help. If you’re not well, you can’t care for your partner either.

This article has been edited and reproduced with the permission of Brainlink.org.au. It is an extract from their excellent brain injury resource available for free download here. This publication is split into sections covering medical issues, common changes after brain injury, practical assisstance and emotional issues. Brainlink is a Victorian service dedicated to improving the quality of life of people affected by conditions of the brain and improving support to their families.