Tonight is the first week of ‘Secrets Week’. I have no idea what this week will entail, and I’m excited.
When the contestants walk in, they see mystery boxes on their benches. Standing at the front is Gaz, George, and Matt.
Gaz introduces this week by addressing the boxes.
“Ready to find out [what’s in the mystery boxes]?” he asks. “Well, can’t tell ya. Serious. We don’t even know some of what’s happening this week, because this week is Secrets Week.”
“Secrets Week,” Matt says. “Every day this week, a secret will be revealed. It might be a secret ingredient, it might be a secret recipe, a secret technique, it might be a secret chef.”
All in all, they have no idea what’s going on each day until they walk in.
They lift the lids off their mystery box and find a stick. Immediately, Steph and Derek identify it as a dumpling rolling pin.
“That’s exactly what it is,” Matt says. “Today, you’re making dumplings.”
“Because dumplings is an absolute art, we’ve arranged a master dumpling maker to give you a mini MasterClass.”
In walks their chef, Edward Yulianto. He starts cooking dumplings for them. I’m not interested in cooking dumplings, just eating them. Anyway, here’s something from twitter.
🤯 We’ve been doing it wrong this whole time 🤯
FOOD TIP: How to eat a soup dumpling #MasterChefAU pic.twitter.com/IY5dCCtIM6— #MasterChefAU (@masterchefau) May 26, 2019
I’m definitely interested in trying it like this, I already use soy sauce, but I didn’t know the broth inside was an actual thing. I wouldn’t put ginger on top, though.
ANUSHKA WATCH: Anushka, the funky lil optical distributor, is wearing red, and a pretty opaque frame.
The challenge today is to make the best dumplings. Only the 5 most appealing will be tried. They’ll have 60 minutes, with the pantry and garden in play. The best dish will head to the immunity challenge, skipping the invention test, and at no risk of being in the pressure cook.
Time and montage starts.
Derek is being quite clumsy and quick going so far, which is a bit worrying as a Derek fan.
OMG, Christina just called Anushka, ‘Nush’ (rhymes with bush) and I love it! The truth is, I just love Anushka.
Anushka is on the same bench as Tati, another cutie, and they’re both wearing the same colour shirt, which is absolutely cute, and I’m living for it.
“Bring us something what leaves us WONTON more,” Matt yells out.
Gaz groans at the pun, which is really the highest compliment.
Anushka gets to her dough very late, leaving the G’s worried about it a bit. Derek reveals he doesn’t use a dumpling pin to roll it out, but he uses a pasta maker, so he cracks one of those bad boys out, which is a choice.
That’s the most exciting stuff of the montage, in my opinion. Really, Anushka is the best bit of the montage, nay, season.
Time is up, and it’s time to taste 5 dishes.
First is Derek.
The trio of judges get stuck into eating them, and eat them they do.
“Boom! Yes!” Gaz yells. “Love it! I’m very excited because I love it.”
George describes it as a punch in the face of flavour, which is what dumplings is all about.
Next up is Christina, and it’s her first time being tasted in a mystery box.
“The broth is absolutely crackin’,” Gaz says. “It’s like nectar.” Then he says to Matt, “You’re just going to eat all the extra dumplings, aren’t you.”
“You talk, I eat!” Matt shoots back.
Anushka is up next, and thanks the judges.
“I love this one, too,” George says.
“You would smash a broth challenge with this dish,” Matt tells her.
Next is Joe, also his first tasting for a mystery box.
“Perfect for Secret Week,” George says, before they start to eat.
“They are really tasty!” Gaz says, before telling him what’s awesome about it.
Finally, Tati.
She’s immediately complimented on her pleating. But then Gaz picks it up and squeezes it a bit.
“The filling particularly is just a bit pasty,” Gaz says.
“It’s a shame,” George says, “because the sauce is incredible.”
“You’re not in the running, so you can go back, relax, and see which of your colleagues is the winner,” Matt tells her.
Gaz starts to tell them what’s what. Christina and Derek are the top two, and one of them will be in the immunity challenge.
Gaz has the deciding vote. He tells them what George and Matt liked about each.
“Triple D’s,” George says. “Derek’s Delicious Dumplings.”
“I’m buying into it,” Gaz says, and announces him the winner.
Derek heads upstairs to watch as the peasants fight to not be kicked out of the kitchen like I have many a time.
This invention test means they will have to share a secret with the trio, whether it be a secret family recipe, a secret ingredient, whatever.
The rules of the invention test: they’ll have 75 minutes, an open pantry and the garden in play. The best three dishes will be sent to the immunity challenge with Derek, and the three worst will be sent to tomorrows pressure cook, where someone will go home.
Time starts, and they’re off.
I won’t talk about Aushka and Tati again unless they do something that isn’t just existing. It’s MasterChef, not The Anushka and Tati Show, although I would watch a cooking show with the two of them as the hosts. Wouldn’t that be fab? It’d be so positive and fun. We should contact someone about this…
Anyway, montage is going.
Ok, Sandeep is a blessing once again. One of his secrets is the killer chutney. Named because it’s to die for. But, “It’ll also kill the tongue.”
George tries it, and walks away.
“Watch him sweat,” Gaz says.
This interaction has encouraged Sandeep to tone it down.
Steph’s secret is that she stole her mother in law’s recipe. She followed her MIL around with paper and pen to get all the ingredients, and since then, she’s cooked it many times to get it good. Steph is excited to cook it for the trio.
Let’s home my mother in law isn’t watching! #masterchefau pic.twitter.com/7GyTqxm6Tl— Stephanie deSousa (@Stephdesousaau) May 26, 2019
Time is up, and it’s time to taste. When every dish gets tasted, only a few will have the little logo and what the dish is. Those dishes, as well as the feedback, are below.
Sandeep is first.
“That is cracking cooking,” George says. He loved the ‘Not So Killer’ chutney.
Next is Steph.
Sandeep was watching carefully, so George took over a spoonful for him.
“It’s a ripping curry,” George says.
Sandeep says, “I don’t think I’ve eaten a better Vindaloo in my life.”
Next is Kyle.
Gaz doesn’t like it, and says the texture is not good. Matt also doesn’t like it.
Larissa’s secret is changing an original recipe to use cornflakes. She hopes George likes it.
“Does it work?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Gaz said.
Matt and George go on to say it’s amazing, and George says it’s better than the original.
Next is Leah, and the secret was supposed to be secret strawberry caviar, but she didn’t deliver.
The G’s have only negative things to say about the dish.
Anushka next.
Gaz and Matt say the pistachio is too muted.
“It’s a shame,” George says. “This here is not good at all.”
Anushka is pretty upset, and Tati gives her a hug when she returns.
Last is Tati.
“It’s hearty, it’s comforting, it’s soul food,” George says.
Gaz identifies the secret ingredient as one of the nuts she used.
It’s time for the verdict.
Joining Derek in the immunity is:
- Tati (“Last week you bought us the best dish you’ve ever cooked, and this week you eclipsed it,” Matt tells her.)
- Larissa
- Sandeep (“Those chops, straight from the grill were delicious,” Matt says)
In tomorrows pressure cook:
- Anushka
- Leah
- Kyle
Tomorrow, one of them will be going home.
This recap was written as I watched the episode, and published straight away, so there will be spelling and grammar issues.
To watch the full episode, head over to southhemitv (opens in a new tab).
Felicity Feiner 
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