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The Green Space Cookbook

CAIRNS: The Green Space has been created on Greenslopes Street in Edge Hill, Queensland (Jess Mitchell Park) to upskill our volunteers in growing produce and sustainable growing practice, and to learn skills such as building wicking beds and gabion cages.

Our volunteers reap the rewards of their efforts by sharing in the produce grown in The Green Space each time they pitch in their time and effort.

The Green Space has heaps of ideas for growing produce in small spaces, such as balconies, and inspiration for recycling common materials such as wooden pallets and sinks to create garden beds.

The public are welcome to drop in to The Green Space and chat to the Green Space Our Place staff and volunteers to learn more about growing produce in the Tropics. Opening hours:

  • Wednesdays between 9.30am and 3.30pm
  • Fridays between 1.30pm and 3.30pm

The Green Space Cookbook

To get you inspired about producing your own food, we’ve put together this handy cookbook with explanations of the many tropical foods you can find in The Green Space (and throughout the Tropics), growing tips, planting guide and, of course, great, easy recipes.

Contents — recipes and plant information

The Green Space education garden
The dry season
The wet season
Crop rotation
Sustainable fertilisers

  • Worm tea
  • Comfrey tea
  • Banana peels 
  • Coffee grounds 

Aibika: Abelmoscus Manihot 

  • Aibika dolmades

Amaranth  Tambdi Bhaji – sauteed amaranth leaves

Basil – Ocimum basilicum

  • Pesto

Beetroot – Beta vulgaris

  • Kalkan Ketchup (beetroot pickle).  
  • Borscht (Beetroot soup)

Bilimbi – Averrhoa bilimbi

  • Bilimbi Curry

Bitter Melon – Momordica charantia  

  • Bitter melon curry
  • Goya champuru

Brazilian Spinach – Alternanthera sissoo

  • Brazilian spinach parcels
  • Saag paneer (Spinach curry)

Breadfruit – Artocarpus altilis

  • Breadfruit cooked with coconut milk
  • Breadfruit chips

Broccoli – Brassica oleracea var. Italica  

  • Broccoli and stilton soup

Burdekin plum – Pleiogynium timorense  

  • Burdekin plum jam  

Cabbage – Brassica oleracea var. Capitata

  • Sauerkraut

Canistel – Pouteria campechiana

  • Canistel scones

Capsicum – Capsicum annuum  

  • Roasted Capsicum Soup

Chilli – Capsicum frutescens

  • Sweet Chilli Jam
  • Green chilli jam
  • Green chilli chutney
  • Chilli Pickle

Collard Greens – Brassica oleracea Acephala Group 

  • Dirty rice and collard greens
  • Cucumber – Cucumis sativus
  • Cucumber and yoghurt dip
  • Chinese cucumber salad
  • Salad Provencale

Eggplant – Solanum melongena  

  • Eggplant kasundi
  • Miss Shur-Lee’s eggplant pickle
  • Aubergine (eggplant), orange and coriander chutney
  • Sambal terong

Endive – Cichorium endivia  

  • Steamed curly endive
  • Tabouli with endive

Fragrant pandan – Pandanus amaryllifolius

  • Chicken curry with pandanus

Guada Bean – Trichosanthus cucumerina

  • Guada bean kootu (southern Indian Curry)
  • Guada bean pasta sauce  

Jaboticaba – Plinia cauliflora 

  • Jaboticaba Jam

Kale – Brassica oleracea acephala  

  • Kale chips
  • Kale dip

Lemon – Citrus limon

  • Lemon cordial
  • Preserved Lemons
  • Quick pickled lemons

Okinawa Spinach – Gynura bicolor 

  • Okinawa spinach parcels

Okra – Abelmoschus esculentus

  • Okra and potato curry
  • Stir fried okra and tomato

Parsley – Petroselinum crispum

  • Tabouli

Paw paw – Carica papaya

  • Green paw paw salad

Pomelo – Citrus maxima

Rosella – Hibiscus sabdariffa  

  • Rosella Chutney
  • Rosella Cordial

Snake beans – Vigna unguiculata

  • Blistered snake beans and kang kong spinach

Tomato – Solanum lycopersicum

  • Spicy tomato chutney

Wing Beans – Psophocarpus tetragonolobus

  • Sri Lankan Wing Bean Curry

Vegetables mixed

  • Vegie-based soup
  • Vegetable Curry

Zucchini – Cucurbita pepo

  • Zucchini Pickle

Planting guide

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