HUVAFEN FUSHI: I always ask myself when is a good time to do a detox ? I found the answer when I arrived at Huvafen Fushi, which to me is a perfect place to start with a little routine change. I will be doing a two-day detox (already better than just one day) with some little help from the island. After my morning yoga I enjoy a special detoxifying body wrap massage with a detoxifying mask and lots of herbal detox tea afterwards. From the island I get the best virgin coconut oil which is used to hydrate my skin and hair and also internally especially at RAW restaurant which just uses raw ingredients. I had a quick talk with the chef Sean Derrick and he explained to me why raw food is the perfect helper if you want your body to get rid of toxins.
JK: How do you prepare raw dishes which are tasty and easy to digest while doing a detox cure?
SD: We use 100% raw and organic ingredients, like raw grains, organic herbs, in-house cured and pickled foods that are low in salt, unpasteurised and we never use refined sugar or fat. All ingredients are marinated, dehydrated and placed so the meat, fish or vegetable is full of flavour but still contains all the minerals and vitamins which you loose when you cook or fry food.
JK: How do you get the different flavours of Asian cuisine?
SD: For example we place raw meat in salt and horseradish. The salt opens the pores of the meat and the flavour of horseradish can get inside to make the meat tasteful.
JK: While you detox you have to abstain from meat and fish. Which dishes do you recommend instead?
SD: We have lots of vegetable dishes, also in the Italian flavours, like vegetable lasagne or gluten free pizzas, or we can make the Cambodian style raw vegetable curry which is made with raw cauliflower couscous and curry leaf sambal. For this dish you have to put all the ingredients together and let them marinate for a couple of hours so you get the texture of a curry.
JK: Which are your little helpers when cooking raw?
SD: We make our own nut mousses which are rich in flavour and high in minerals and vitamins. They give a smoothness to the dish which you would normally obtain with butter or cream but they have a much higher nutritional value.
JK: How about virgin coconut water and fresh coconut meat which you can get on the island?
SD: Coconut water is very detoxifying, it can even heal illnesses like hypohyrodism, digestive problems and wounds and sores. You can use it for cooking and in our case we use it instead of butter or in our smoothies, which makes them very healthy and regenerating.
JK: Your ingredients sound very exotic, they must come from all over the world.
SD: Yes, we just got baby spinach from Australia this morning, which is so high in chlorophyll that when we blend it for example in a smoothie we get a very bright green colour. We have Shimegi mushrooms, local pine nuts, Asian betel leaves and of course always a great selection of fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables from all over the world.
JK: Which ingredients should I stock up on when returning home to continue my healthy routine when eating raw?
SD: You should always have at home sprouting seeds, grains, homemade nut milks, soy, almonds, beans and pulses, uncooked oils, miso sauce and tahini.
JK: Many thanks, Sean.
