Kiriana Wheaton is a senior creative at CHE Proximity in Melbourne with a hot wife and three dogs.

An ex resident of Mexico, she's passionate about all things Mexican.

I have a secret. I am completely and hopelessly uncoordinated.

Neither the Wheatons on Dad’s side nor the Harawiras on Mum’s have ever been smooth movers. I recall being on the dance floor at super-chic party when a stranger interrupted my chemically-enhanced reverie to tell me I should probably move my feet.

In the kitchen it’s a different story. There, I'm Nureyev sans package. I'm Pina fucking Bausch, albeit a more nourished version.

My limbs take on an unnatural grace and preparation and cooking become an intoxicating dance. Each opening of a cupboard, julienne of a carrot and fingertip sliced on a mandolin choreographed with an exquisite economy of movement.

In the three acts of conception, preparation and production, cooking is my ultimate creative therapy.

This following recipe for Cheat’s Green Chicken Mole is a long dance. You can make it shorter by using a roasted chook from the supermarket, or simply browning chicken pieces off quickly before adding to the mole.

To make this recipe vego or vegan try roast potatoes, browned tofu pieces, cannellini beans and replace the chicken stock with vege stock.

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CHEAT’S GREEN CHICKEN MOLE

1 jar of salsa verde (Coles do one)

1 whole chicken (we use Milawa)

1/2 cup of pepitas

1/2 cup of corn kernels

1 leek (white part only)

1 large brown onion

1 red onion

3 celery sticks

1 head of garlic

1 bunch of coriander with roots

1 bunch of fresh oregano or 1 heaped tablespoon of dried oregano

2 limes, halved

1 large orange, halved

1 green jalapeno chile (seeds removed)

1 litre of quality chicken stock

A handful of Jerusalem artichokes or 1/3 a head of peeled celeriac

4 trimmed spring onions

Ricotta or feta

Sesame seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Wash vegetables thoroughly by soaking them in water with a glug of apple cider vinegar.

2. Roast whole chicken at 180°C until skin is golden brown, remove from oven and put aside.

3. Cut up leek, brown onion, head of garlic, trimmed spring onion, artichokes/celeriac, celery sticks, put on baking tray, season and drizzle with oil. Put in 180°C oven.

4. When vegetables are cooked and browned sprinkle in the pepitas, corn kernels, add the lime, orange halves, jalapeno and the carefully washed coriander roots.

5. Once pepitas, corn limes and oranges are brown, remove tray from oven and let cool for 30 mins. Put the onion and leek aside.

6. Add the salsa verde, oregano, remaining coriander and contents of the tray to a blender and blend until the consistency of a smoothie. You may need to separate into two parts and add some of the stock.

7. Add oil to a pot and cook off contents of blender until the aromatics start coming through. Season to taste.

8. Break down the roast chicken into smaller pieces and add to pot with the chicken stock.

9. Roughly slice the onion and leek and add to pot. Squeeze in roasted lime and orange juice.

10. Cook until chicken begins falling apart and the sauce has thickened. Do one final seasoning check.

11. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with rice or tortillas, fresh tomato salsa and guacamole, or layer with nachos and sprinkle with ricotta or feta cheese, shredded coriander and finely sliced red onion that's been quickly pickled in some lime juice.