Our resident foodie Chris Gordon chats with chef Adam Liaw about being a workaholic, and his recommended cooking plans for a variety of evening plans.

First, congratulations of your new book! Second… are you a workaholic?

Haha I think I am! Honestly, writing cookbooks is an all-consuming process. When I’m working on a book I’m thinking about it around the clock for months – eating potential recipes from the book at every meal, trying to find ways to make it better and tinkering with recipes in my head while lying in bed at night. And then, as soon as I’m finished and it’s off to print, I can’t stop thinking about what to do for the next one. Seeing a book go from an idea to a finished product that people cook from is enormously satisfying.

Since winning Masterchef in 2010 you haven’t stopped working in food. Do you miss your law years?

In a way I do. I loved my old job but if the trade-off for giving it up is that I get to travel the world writing books, making TV shows and cooking for a living, then I really can’t complain.

Using your new cookbook, Adam’s Big Pot, as inspiration, what would you recommend our readers cook, say, for a Tuesday night, after sports training with teenage kids?

I’d probably go for the ‘Shaking Beef’. It’s a Vietnamese classic and it’s ready in minutes, healthy and light with fresh vegetables, packed with protein (and optional carbs) so it’s perfect for feeding a lot of hungry mouths that have worked up an appetite.

What about one for dinner with the neighbours?

If you’re trying to impress without slaving over a stove and ignoring your guests, I’d go for something like the ‘Thai-grilled Chicken’ for a main course with some ‘Coconut Jelly’ for dessert. Both are fantastic looking (and tasting) dishes

Finally, what about a night in with a TV series and tracksuit pants on?

Definitely the ‘Chicken Soboro’. It’s a super simple dish of minced chicken, egg and snow peas served on rice, and is great comfort food without making yourself too guilty. I say this as a veteran of many TV series watched on the couch with tracksuit pants on.

Well, that’s my week sorted. Finally, we are huge fans of the way you mix it all up using tricks and ingredients form across the world. What’s your five ‘must have’ ingredients in the pantry?

Soy sauce, mirin, sake, gochujang (a Korean chilli bean paste) and fish sauce. From those five ingredients you can make thousands of Asian dishes.