Kai Diaries is an opportunity for volunteers to share a meal of significance to them, with the whole community, hosted by Everybody Eats Onehunga around once a month. The next Kai Diary we are dusting off is that of Karen Porma! Karen is a new but strong member of the Everybody Eats Onehunga team. She is a Monday regular for Front-of-House Set-Up, and has already completed sixteen Mondays with us, totalling 50+ hours this early into the year. Karen has since encouraged her partner Jose to come along with her. He loves to cook, and so far every Monday they spice up their lives helping feed bellies, not bins.

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My grandfather used to pick me up from school and we walked back home, passing through the market and getting some celery. My Tata (grandpa) always made a salad for me. He dedicated long hours to preparing it. He bought the celery, cut it into pieces, took out the strings, and left it overnight in water for my lunch the next day. when I came back from school, He also prepared an amazing dressing with the salad.

\At the time that I finished it, I asked him: “Tata can I drink the juice” and his answer was “Absolutely Karenchito”. I raised the bowl to my mouth taking in every the last drop of my lovely salad (with his permission) - with his creation my Tata made me so happy.

This memory that I have with my Tata is not just about a celery salad - he taught me the value of being delicate and dedicated with each ingredient.

When my Tata passed away, in his honour I got a “celery leaves” tattoo, which reminded me always that simple actions could be valuable and significant to those who perceived them.

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Karen's recipe for Celery Salad

Ingredients

• 6 cups sliced celery (fairly thin)
• 1 cup celery leaves, chilled
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (or oil of choice)
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Large pinch of salt (or to taste)

Steps

1. Prepare the celery
   Wash and slice the celery into fairly thin pieces. Chill the sliced celery in the refrigerator for a refreshing crunch.‍
2. Gather the leaves
   Rinse the celery leaves and set them aside to chill as well.
3. Mix the dressing
   In a small bowl, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and a large pinch of salt. Whisk together until well blended.
4. Combine ingredients
   In a large mixing bowl, add the chilled sliced celery and celery leaves. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine, ensuring all ingredients are evenly coated.
5. Taste and adjust
   Taste your salad and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed.
6. Serve
   Serve immediately as a refreshing side dish or appetiser. Enjoy!

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Tips: For added flavour, consider tossing in some nuts or seeds for crunch.

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