A Mindful Culinary Journey

Three years ago, on my birthday, I received my biggest present yet. It was a rare kind of Squishmallow character – a rainbow coloured dumbo octopus! It is huge. I think it’s a female, and I named her Faye. Fun fact: dumbo octopuses are ALWAYS pregnant – 24/7!

Faye and I have lots of fun together. We sleep, play and eat together. Recently, I started enjoying cooking, so I thought I’d cook Faye a meal – her very first lunchbox.

I researched what dumbo octopuses eat and created some fun and creative dishes for her.

Based on my research, Faye (my dumbo octopus Squishmallow) eats copepods, isopods, amphipods, and oysters. So, I made copepod salt to go with French fries, an amphipod and broccoli stir fry, isopod tempura, and oyster sushi.

Below are the recipes, if you want to give them a try for yourself. Faye seems to really love them!

Copepod Salt on French Fries

Ingredients:

• 2 small potatoes (about 200g)

• 1 teaspoon dried seaweed flakes (salted)

• 4 dried copepods

• 1 teaspoon salt

• Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions (for chips):

1. Peel the potatoes and wash them.

2. Chop them into your favourite chip shape.

3. Boil in a saucepan of water for about 5 minutes.

4. Drain well.

5. Deep fry the potatoes in hot oil until golden brown (about 3–4 minutes).

6. Drain on paper towel.

7. Sprinkle with copepod salt.

Copepod Salt:

1. Dry the copepods under the hot sun until fully dehydrated.

2. Grind the dried copepods.

3. Add the seaweed and salt, and grind them all together.

4. Sprinkle on top of the fries.

Enjoy!

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Amphipods and Broccoli Stir Fry

Ingredients:

• 4 amphipods

• 1 small broccoli (about 100g), chopped into tiny trees

• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan.

2. Fry the amphipods for 1–2 minutes.

3. Add the broccoli and cherry tomatoes.

4. Stir fry everything together for 3–4 minutes.

5. Serve hot.

Yum!

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Isopod Tempura

Ingredients:

• 4 isopods

• 2 tablespoons cornflour

• 2 tablespoons plain flour

• 1 teaspoon miso powder

• 4 tablespoons cold soda water

• Vegetable oil for frying

• Soy sauce (for dipping)

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix the cornflour, plain flour, miso powder, and soda water until it becomes a smooth batter.

2. Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan on medium heat.

3. Dip each isopod into the batter and then carefully into the hot oil.

4. Fry for about 2 minutes or until golden and crispy.

5. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towel.

6. Serve with soy sauce for dipping.

Crunchy and tasty!

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Oyster Sushi

Ingredients:

• 1 fresh oyster

• ½ cup cooked sushi rice (about 100g)

• 1 strip of seaweed (nori)

• Soy sauce (for dipping)

Instructions:

1. Cook sushi rice in a rice cooker or saucepan. Let it cool slightly.

2. Shape a small rectangle of rice using your palms (wet hands help!).

3. Wrap a strip of seaweed around the rice.

4. Place the oyster on top.

5. Repeat if you want more pieces.

6. Dip in soy sauce and enjoy!

Slimy but delicious (if you’re Faye)!

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Faye’s lunchbox might sound weird to you – which is perfectly fine. But she’s a unique and special creature who eats unique food from the bottom of the ocean. Faye was overjoyed with her first lunchbox. She gave me a big squishy hug and took it with her deep into the ocean, about 6,000 metres deep!

She perched on colourful coral pieces that she had collected. As she ate the food I made her, she watched the peaceful movements of fish swimming in bustling schools. When she finished her meal, she lay down and had a long, well-deserved nap,