Recently I was invited to dinner at my sister’s “homestay” in one of Sydney’s northern suburbs. It proved to be a sense-and-thought-provoking evening. A wonderful smell hit me the moment I stepped out of the car – a warm inviting aroma wafting through the dark night air. Stumbling over the slippery wet roots of a Moreton Bag Fig and through the garden to the back door, my brain suddenly caught up with my nostrils. Jasmine rice! That fragrant long-grained slightly sticky rice so beloved by the Thais.

As I pushed open the door, there stood my sister and her assistant Servio, a gorgeous young Brazilian, scooping out large spoonfuls of the aromatic rice onto a platter. The kitchen windows had steamed up and they were busy chatting. “We put all the gossip into the rice,” said Servio, laughing.

Watching them prepare the meal, I recalled how in the old cultures of Asia, rice is a link between Earth and Haven. “It shapes our landscapes and the way we live, as it has done for many centuries,” says Sri Owen in “The Rice Book”. “It is also at the root of our political and economic life, present and future.” In Thai myths, rice is a tender, beautiful woman who dislikes being handled by men.

“Pour more sauce over the rice, Servio!” ordered my sister. Servio had been placing plump dark chicken drumsticks onto the rice and pouring the juices over the top. Meanwhile my sister was giving the Indian-style potatoes a good stir and scattering coriander leaves and toasted sesame seeds over the drumsticks. “It’s our version of the Sunday roast, she explained as she pulled the fat dark drumsticks from the oven. “A way of getting all the kids together once a week so that they can catch up and eat a good meal.”

The kids she was referring to included a couple of rowdy twentysomething girls from Perth, two smiling Brazilians, a shy Chinese boy, a couple of Germans, a young Thai couple, an animated Korean woman and her homesick friend with striped hair, a very young Indonian girl (still in school) and her brother. Most are students, in Australia to learn English, and they rent rooms in my sister’s large homely duplex. The food, like the tableware and the kids themselves, was an eccentric mixture. There were the soy-marinated drumsticks; heaps of jasmine rice; a crockpot full of cauliflower cheese soup; silverbeet in white sauce spiked with nutmueg; and a wok-ful of spicy Indian potatoes. For dessert, an outsize chocolate jaffa cake coated in a glossy chocolate glaze and studded with bright red jaffas.

When we eat together, we bring our culture (or in this case, cultures) with us. So goes the theory of Margaret Visser, the Canadian author of “The Rituals of Dinner”. How we invite people in, how they’re seated and served, how and what we cook and eat tells a great deal about us.

So what was happening here? My sister ruled the roost with a ready warmth and welcoming smile. The kids arrived on time – there was only one straggler – and ate heartily. There was much merriment. Together with Servio, my sister serves a meal like this every Tuesday night of her life. Such a rich weekly multi-cultural experience. Is this, I wondered, what we are in jeopardy of losing under our current government in Australia?

How to cook Jasmine Rice

Jasmine rice must be washed in a sieve under plenty of cold running water before cooking. When the water runs clear, place it in the rice cooker or pan – don’t add salt because it masks the flavour.

The best way to cook it is by the absorption method: for every cup of rice, add 2 cups water, bring to the boil, turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and leave to stand ten minutes with the lid on. Allow 1 1/2 (one and a half) cups water for each additional cup of rice. For firmer rice add less water. For rapid boil method allow 1 cup of rice to 6-8 cups of gently boiling water.

Many people use the finger measure to gauge how much water to add – i.e. water from the top of the rice to the first joint of the index finger – but it’s not as precise. Cooked rice will keep in the fridge for two days in an airtight container and can be frozen for up to two months.

Five Spice Drumsticks (Serves 4)

10-12 fat chicken drumsticks

Marinade:

60ml soy sauce
40ml dry sherry (or mirin)
1 1/2 (one and a half) tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons five spice powder

Prick the drumsticks with a fork – this will allow the marinade to permeate the skins. Place them in a non-corrosive dish. Combine the marinade ingredients and pour over the drumsticks, tossing well to ensure they are well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator, turning occasionally. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Place the drumsticks on a lightly oiled baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes, basting occasionally with remaining marinade. Serve on a platter of steamed jasmine rice, garnished liberally with freshly chopped coriander and toasted sesame seeds.