Asia Market’s Commercial Director Eva Pau on her life in food

In the lead up to Asia Market’s Lunar New Year celebrations, we sat down with Commercial Director and IMAGE Businesswoman of the Year 2022, Eva Pau, to talk all things flavour.

The store’s year of the dragon celebrations are set to capture the imagination as part of a packed programme of festivities running from Saturday 10 to Sunday 25 February. Events include a Culinary Crawl dining experience, Asian cocktail demonstrations, a Feast of Food Trucks, and much more.

Here, Eva Pau shares her life in food…

What are your earliest memories of food?

Having dim sum in Hong Kong with my grandmother. I still remember old ladies pushing around serving trolleys with bamboo steamers on top filled with dim sum. There was also a special dessert trolley which would appear towards the end and my favourite was always the mango pudding dessert served with condensed milk.

How would you describe your relationship with food?

I absolutely adore food. I never diet. I love trying all types of food, new flavours, textures and combinations. When I go to a restaurant, I usually want to try as many different dishes as possible, so a tasting menu is perfect. Thankfully my husband is a very adventurous eater as well, so oftentimes we will order different things on the menu and you will see us passing plates back and forth to each other. I also love visiting other cities and planning out a food safari which may include as many as eight meals a day.

What was the first meal you learned to cook?

I was mad into baking when I was younger and I would bake cakes all the time until my dad said that I was contributing too much to his belly getting bigger. The first savoury dish I learned how to make was sushi when I was about seven. My auntie Beatrice came from Australia to visit us and showed me how to cook sushi rice in the microwave and how to use a sushi mat to make a proper norimaki.

How did food become a part of your career?

I have always been around food having grown up in our family-run Asian grocery store on Drury Street, Dublin 2. Both of my parents are really good cooks and I would often learn from them and help them in the kitchen. Being around ingredients is really second nature to me and I am so lucky to now be in a career importing Asian foods into Ireland.

What’s your go-to breakfast?

On a weekday, some strawberries and blueberries with a dollop of live yoghurt topped with some granola, or if I feel like something hot, some congee which is a really nice and warming Chinese rice porridge. At the weekends is when I indulge. It can be anything from a stack of blueberry and banana pancakes to scrambled eggs with toast, avocado and smoked salmon, or an Irish breakfast with sausages and bacon.

If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?

I love inviting my family over for a roast dinner. Usually it is a leg of lamb, roast potatoes, carrots and parsnips served with gravy and fresh mint sauce. With friends I like to plan a three-course meal. It could start off with seared scallops, followed by confit duck, or a salmon wellington and finished with individual chocolate molten cakes with homemade vanilla ice cream. For something special like Lunar New Year celebrations with friends, I love preparing the ingredients for a Chinese hotpot feast. The table is filled with a few different types of Chinese greens, enoki and shimeji mushrooms, white radish, fresh sweetcorn, an array of fresh seafood, thinly sliced meat, tofu, bean thread noodles and a range of dipping sauces. Everyone gathers around the hot pot, sharing stories, having fun, and cooking their own food. There is a lovely convivial atmosphere, perfect for celebrating the new year.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

It has to be Marcus Wareing. I am a huge fan of Masterchef The Professionals on BBC and really enjoy watching his skills challenges. I have tried a few of them out myself and they are great.

What would your last meal on earth be?

Vietnamese Pho. It’s warming, fragrant with the smell of fresh basil and mint, and has thin rice noodles, crunchy bean sprouts, thinly sliced red onion, and a super tasty beef bone broth. What is there not to like?!

What’s your go-to comfort food?

My own lasagne. The ragu is simple, pork and beef mince with some smokey bacon and diced onion. White sauce made with Irish mature cheddar cheese. I usually add a scattered layer of little nuggets of mozzarella cheese after the ragu layer. This makes the lasagne stringy and more unctuous.

What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?

A quick Korean instant ramen with enoki mushrooms, iceberg lettuce, a boiled egg and a few frozen dumplings.

What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?

Durian, known as the ‘king of fruit’. It has a really pungent smell. You either like it or you don’t… and I don’t.

Hangover cure?

A breakfast club sandwich at the News Café in Blackrock, with a large mug of tea.

Sweet or savoury?

I love both. I always leave room for dessert. I love the prettiness and I appreciate the effort that goes into pastry but on balance, I am more of a savoury person than sweet. There are more flavour combinations and profiles in savoury that pique my interest. At this time of year, I get dumpling cravings. They are a typical Lunar New Year dish, served with Chinese vinegar and finely shredded ginger. It is a great family activity where everyone gets involved in rolling the dumpling pastry, filling and shaping it. It is great fun for kids of all ages.

Fine dining or pub grub?

I can’t deny I love fine dining – the attention to detail, the presentation and the flavours – but having said that, lately I have had a real craving for a weekly carvery lunch.

Favourite restaurant in Ireland?

Forest Avenue in Dublin 4. John and Sandy have created a wonderful dining destination. The flavour combinations always push the boat and bring a great element of surprise. The effort that goes into creating the dish from the mix of flavours to the plating coupled with the wine menu with wonderful descriptive tasting notes makes for an amazing experience.

Best coffee in Ireland?

I’m not a big coffee drinker, but I do enjoy an occasional coconut cappuccino at the Fools and Horses drive-through coffee shop in Walkinstown, near my office in Ballymount.

Go-to beverage accompaniment?

I am a firm believer in snacks to accompany a beverage. Absolutely love them and would often have a few bowls with a different mix of crisps and nuts. Favourites would be King’s cheese and onion crisps, Smyth’s bacon and scampi fries, and Asia Market’s magic chilli peanuts, coconut-coated peanuts and wasabi broad beans. My father-in-law also makes a killer prawn dip. It is a secret recipe that goes with all types of crisps and is absolutely addictive.

What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?

Ireland’s foodie scene is really strong. It is great to see the huge variety of world cuisines that we now have here and that people are so receptive to trying these authentic flavours. I feel like it will continue to grow from strength to strength.

What’s your favourite thing about cooking?

I love preparing ingredients and handling them. There is a tactility to it that I really enjoy. The smell of chopping fresh coriander or some garlic and ginger. I just love the aromas and I find the whole process really satisfying. Being a mum, I love cooking for my family, teaching my kids how to cook, making simple meals, and explaining to them where the produce comes from.

What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment, etc — mean to you?

Food in Asian culture has a huge social significance. Growing up in an Asian family this is a really big part of me. When we sit down to eat, not only do we bring people together, but we share all the dishes as part of the meal. This is a great opportunity to catch up with family, bond with friends, and enjoy good food together.

Food for thought — Is there room for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene?

I think the Irish restaurant scene has been in a really good position in recent times. I am concerned however about the rising costs in this sector. As a supplier to Asian restaurants up and down the country, we are acutely aware of the challenges facing restaurants. If something isn’t done to try to counteract the rate of inflation, the VAT rate and even the recent minimum wage hike, we risk losing more great restaurants and eateries.

Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.

I visited Hunan province in China at the end of last year and the food there was standout. Everywhere we went we had dish after dish of sizzling, hot, spicy, tasty deliciousness. They also have a great street food scene that really comes alive at night.

Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant or particularly talented foodie family member.

Top marks go to my talented cousin Alison Pau who runs the Café in Asia Supermarket in Belfast. She has so much passion, creativity and always bundles of energy. Every time I meet her I am showered with lots of new flavours and ideas. I recently sampled her satay, water chestnut and coriander sausage roll. It was to die for! I wish I didn’t have to travel two hours to get it.

Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?

Besides good service, good food and ambience, I think the key to a really memorable dining experience has to be an element of surprise, wow factor and excitement. Something I haven’t seen before that creates a lasting memory.

Imagery by Kirsty Lyons