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Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes - 'Try before you Die!'
Kids' taste buds are also quite different than adults. Most of us can think back to childhood and think about foods we hated, but now as adults,somehow, they are more palatable. It's not our imagination, lol. Kids perceive bitter flavors much more strongly, it is somewhat of a built in biology to help protect them from poisons which often have a bitter flavor. (as I have read, anyhow).
Brined and fermented foods are excellent for a person. They greatly increase guy bacteria that helps produce a healthy immune system. Bring on brined veggies, sauerkraut and kimchi!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited April 2014
@anataman said:
Ah so that's why my kids don't eat the lettuce leaves - they say they look old, and taste horrible - never thought that it was all down to the knife, and the fact that I quite like the bitterness of a lettuce heart and don't know what they're talking about - 'eat your greens or you don't get the pudding' - I've been torturing them for years! lol
>
Of course, lettuces come from the same family as Dandelions, which I also eat in abundance in the summer. Young dandelion leaves, thinly sliced, with a plain white-wine vinegar and olive oil dressing, and a good omelette.... luxury!!
My mother once said to me,
"If you don't finish your dinner, you don't get any pudding!"
I apparently replied,
"But mummy, if I eat ALL my dinner, I won't have any room for pudding!"
My father thought my logic was blinding.... and I got my pudding, without having to finish dinner....:D....
@karasti said:
Kids' taste buds are also quite different than adults. Most of us can think back to childhood and think about foods we hated, but now as adults,somehow, they are more palatable. It's not our imagination, lol. Kids perceive bitter flavors much more strongly, it is somewhat of a built in biology to help protect them from poisons which often have a bitter flavor. (as I have read, anyhow).
>
Brined and fermented foods are excellent for a person. They greatly increase guy bacteria that helps produce a healthy immune system. Bring on brined veggies, sauerkraut and kimchi!
>
I have so many recipes, for Kimchi included.... do you want them, or do you have them?
I would love a good kimchi recipe! I can find it pre-made here and it's so-so but I prefer to make my own stuff, since I have plenty of canning supplies! I will definitely try the brined lettuce you posted, too. Mmmmm.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
OK....
here goes - You asked for it! (I have had to space it out a lot, because the line spacing/formatting on these posts really stinks, at the moment!
FEDE'S DEMON KIMCHI RECIPE
Ingredients
1 (2-pound) head napa cabbage (this type is best, but you can use a savoy cabbage...just not one of the dense, had crispy ones)
1/4 cup sea salt or kosher salt (see Recipe Notes)
Water (see Recipe Notes)
1 tablespoon grated garlic (about 5-6 cloves)
1 teaspoon grated ginger (or to taste - if you like more, add it!)
1 teaspoon sugar
2-3 tablespoons seafood flavour or water (optional, see Recipe Notes)
1-5 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
8 ounces Korean radish or daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks
4 spring onions (Scallions, to our USA friends), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Equipment
Cutting board and knife
Large bowl
Gloves (optional but highly recommended!)
Plate and something to weigh the kimchi down, like a jar full of water, or can of beans.
Colander
Smaller bowl
Clean 1-quart jar with canning lid or plastic lid
Bowl or plate to place under jar during fermentation
Instructions
Cut the cabbage. Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.
Salt the cabbage. Place the cabbage and salt in a large bowl. Using your hands (gloves optional), massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit, then add water to cover the cabbage.
Put a plate on top and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 1-2 hours.
Rinse and drain the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times and drain in a colander for 15-20 minutes.
Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting, and set it aside.
**Make the paste. **Meanwhile, combine the garlic, ginger, sugar, and seafood flavour (or 3 tablespoons water) in a small bowl and mix to form a smooth paste. Mix in the gochugaru, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy (I like about 3 1/2 tablespoons).
Combine the vegetables and paste.
Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and return it to the bowl along with the radish, scallions, and seasoning paste.
Mix thoroughly. Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated. The gloves are optional here but highly recommended to protect your hands from stings, stains, and smells!
**Pack the kimchi into the jar. **
Pack the kimchi into the jar, pressing down on it until the brine rises to cover the vegetables. Leave at least 1-inch of headspace. Seal the jar with the lid.
Let it ferment. Let the jar stand at room temperature for 1-5 days. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid; place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow.
Check it daily and refrigerate when ready. Check the kimchi once a day, pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.) Taste a little at this point, too! When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. You may eat it right away, but it's best after another week or two.
Recipe Notes
Salt: Use salt that is free of iodine and/or anti-caking agents, which can inhibit fermentation.
Water: Chlorinated water can inhibit fermentation, so use spring, distilled, or filtered water if you can.
Seafood flavour and vegetarian alternatives: Seafood gives kimchi an umami flavour. Different regions and families may use fish sauce, salted shrimp paste, oysters, and other seafood. Use about 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, salted shrimp paste, or a combination of the two. For vegetarian kimchi, I like using 3/4 teaspoon kelp powder mixed with 3 tablespoons water, or simply 3 tablespoons of water.
This is a whole new world for me! The only pickles I eat are gherkins, onions and beetroot. The fermented foods, I have always enjoyed, I make my own beer wine yoghurt and sourdough bread...
@karasti - Are you sure you want to increase good guy bacteria? lol
which reminds me, if you want a cheap version of probiotic drinking yoghurt like yakult or actimel or whatever else they call it in your respective country then do this:
Buy a yoghurt culture that you like, I use yakult. Buy a small pack of four and keep them in the coldest part of the fridge - for safety sake look for the longest sell-by-date, but trust me you can still use them as a culture after that - but best to be safe.
Buy a litre of pasteurised skimmed milk (get the one with the longest sell-buy date again).
If you are someone thats really concerned about hygiene or scared of getting ill from off-milk then heat the milk until it's about to start bubbling, cover and let it cool to hand tolerable heat or 45 degrees c if you have a thermometer.
Clean and rinse the plastic milk container out with boiling water, or use a container with a lid that you can sterilise similarly.
Add one small container of your chosen culture and the warm milk to the container.
Let it stand over night. For the yakult, I like to add a spoon of honey and a little vanilla essence - really nice; for the actimel I add home made berry preserve (made from all those berries that are not eaten and are about to go off - stored in the freezer until the wife moans about the critical mass).
Et voila - 4 yakults become 40 or more so go and enrich your alimentary tract with good gut bacteria...
I make nettle and mint tea from the garden as well and now am going to eat those dastardly dandelion leaves that are sprouting everywhere - I'm not good at gardening - I was always told they make you wet the bed though!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited April 2014
Yes, in France they're called 'pis-en-lit' but it's an undeserved reputation; however, dandelion is extremely good as a tonic for your urinary system, counteracts infections and is 'cleansing' for the kidneys.
As for the leaves, choose ones that are not too jagged... More like this, than like this, as the latter tend to be very bitter.
Choose younger inner leaves. Pick by hand, don't cut.
To clean, grasp the base of the leaf stalk, by the central rib, with the index finger and thumb of one hand, and with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, strip off the leaf, from the mid-rib, by pulling upwards towards the tip (The rib contains the bitter juice).
Wash thoroughly, dry (in a salad spinner, if you have one) and then line all the leaves together in a bunch, like a cos lettuce, and cut across, from tip to base, in thin strips.
Dress with a simple vinaigrette of one part white wine vinegar, three parts oil, and salt, to taste.
Eat with a nice omelette or (even though it's a veggie/vegan thread) with a plainly gently-fried chicken or turkey cutlet. (Gasp!)
Sometimes a little knowledge can bring pleasure! You have made my day @federica as far as learning something (or a couple of things) new was concerned. Namely, pickled lettuce and dandelion salad...
I like the 'simple vinaigrette' as well (I like red wine vinegar and English mustard in mine).
Food is something that is essential - may as well enjoy it!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
The wonderful thing about pickling with brine, is that, if you taste the solution, and it's too salty - or even not salty enough - you can adjust it even DURING the pickling process!
providing you use the correct salt and water, and keep the food submerged, it all works!
I'm sure British vegetarians/vegans know her already, but for those in the rest of the world who don't know her, I find Rose Elliot's books fantastic for vegetarian recipes. She's been publishing books for over forty years, and the recipes are easy and very cheap. No one beats her when it comes to whipping up a meal in minutes!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited May 2014
I made some boiled chinese soya eggs:
They take a while, but they're fun - and very tasty!
(Again, apologies about the spacing... formatting, and all that.... you know....)
MAKES 6
INGREDIENTS
½ cup soy sauce
½ teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon sugar
6 whole black peppercorns
½ tsp. fennel seeds
8 whole cloves
2 whole star anise
2x 2"sticks cinnamon
1 tbsp. loose-leaf smoked tea, such as lapsang souchong or any good, black tea will do)
6 eggs
INSTRUCTIONS
First, pierce both ends of the eggs lightly and gently.
Place in a pan of cold water, with a tablespoon of vinegar.
Bring to the boil.
Simmer for 3 minutes, then take off the heat, and leave for 10 minutes.
Drain.
In the same pan, put the soy sauce, sugar, peppercorns, fennel, cloves, star anise, cinnamon, and add 2 cups water.
Take the eggs one by one, and gently 'craze' the shells all over, taking care to not break any pieces off, if possible. Do NOT peel them!
Place the eggs in the liquor, bring gently to the boil, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
Again, remove from the heat, and allow to stand for a further 20 minutes.
gently lift the eggs from the liquor and keep aside.
Strain the liquor and discard the tea and spices.
Rinse the pan, and pour the liquor back into the pan.
Add a cup of really cold water, or 6 ice cubes.
return the still-unpeeled eggs to the liquor and allow to remain immersed, until needed.
I made lettuce in brine tonight - didn't quite stick to the recipe @federica but it looks ok - in fact better than expected!
So I just rinse and serve?
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited May 2014
Taste it. If it's too salty, rinse. If not, just gently squeeze the excess brine out and add a little olive oil and a touch of lemon juice.
Made myself a salad with a selection of pickled vegetables (carrots, celery and lettuce with spring onions, dressed as above) with some beet -pickled eggs.
Honestly? It was absolutely delicious!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited May 2014
This morning I made myself an "Indian omelette".
I had a small amount of pilau rice left over so I scrambled 2 eggs in a bowl, added half a teaspoon of mild curry powder, a grind of black pepper and a pinch of both turmeric and paprika. I added the cold rice and mixed well.
I melted a small nut of ghee in a non-stick pan, and gently cooked the mix, then slipped it onto a plate, and turned the whole thing over back into the pan to cook the other side.
Once well done (very important to thoroughly re-heat the rice) I ate it with some tomato ketchup.
Delicious!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
See if I can give you a picture of breakfast....
...but I have no idea why it's upside-down.... LOL!!
You are going to fast for me @federica - I'm now a religious convert to lettuce in brine (tastier and more appealing than I had given credit to) - is it the same process for carrots?
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
@federica, wrong post I know, but whilst I'm thinking about it, is there any vegetable you cannot pickle? I've now got a taste for the brined lettuce, and was thinking (as you're a bit of an advanced explorer in the region of pickled vegetables - what would you advise I pickle next!
>
I have an excellent recipe for carrots and cauliflower in brine and am also doing some daikon radish.
I'm amazed at how crunchy they stay. Definitely moreish!
Made some eggs pickled with beetroots too. Amazing fun!
Will post recipes later...
And am baking no-knead bread.
Yup. You hardly touch the mix at all.
Can't wait for the results!!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited May 2014
2 pounds small carrots, peeled (or a mix of vegetables, including cauliflower florets, radishes, daikon de-seeded cucumber, kohlrabi and even small summer purple-top turnips...)
4 cups de-chlorinated tap water, or bottled water
1/4 cup kosher/coarse salt
1 sprig of fresh thyme (optional)
2 bay leaves
1 dried hot chilli
1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns (I prefer to use Sezchuan pepper)
6 juniper berries (optional)
Cut the carrots into discs the size you would want to eat at a cocktail party. Or leave them whole. Or split them in half lengthwise. The key here is to keep the thickest part of any piece no wider than about 1 inch.
If using a mix of vegetables, keep them all roughly the same bite-size
Put the salt, bay leaves, black peppercorns, juniper berries (if used) and chilli into the cold water in a steel or non-stick pan, bring to the boil, and cook for a minute or so, then turn off the heat and let this cool to room temperature. This gets the flavours melding.
Once the brine has cooled to room temperature, pack the carrots/vegetables and the thyme sprig (if used) into a clean Mason jar and pour the brine over them, making sure the jars all get some of the spices.
You will have leftover brine. Put this into a clean sterilised jar and keep for future use.
Find some small-ish, flat-ish, smooth, non-porous stones (flint, quartz or granite are best) and sterilise by washing and scrubbing thoroughly then washing in the dishwasher, or putting into a very weak bleach solution and then rinsing thoroughly to remove all traces of bk
bleach.
Push one of these stone into the jar — you want the carrots/vegetables to be completely submerged in the brine. Alternately, fold a lettuce leaf that will just barely fit into the pickling jar, screw on the lid and use that to prevent the carrots from contact with air. If the veggies hit air while fermenting, you get mold.
Put the jar into a cool, dark place for at least 3-4 days. What’s cool? Cooler than 75 degrees. Like many things that ferment, 55 degrees is about perfect. Don’t go colder that 50 degrees. I ferment at about 72 degrees. You can leave the vegetables in longer if you want — they will be saltier and tangier. I often ferment them for a full 2 weeks.
Remove the stone or lettuce leaf (edible!) from your pickling jar. To store your pickles, simply screw the cap on the pickles and put them in the fridge, or you can pour the brine into a clean pot and boil it. When it is cool, pour it back into the jar with the carrots and seal it up.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited May 2014
My vegetables (carrots, daikon radish, cauliflower, red small radishes and some radish greens) all ready for brining.... Washed well drained and air-drying for added crispness...
I thought it was just like salting the lettuce leaves; cooking the veg - It makes sense.
Where do you buy juniper berries - not the local supermarket surely?
Now I think about it the only juniper berries I have ever ingested have been in a G&T
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
No, you don't COOK THE VEGETABLES!
Re-read the recipe; You only heat the brine to get all the spices and salt to meld....
The liquor must also be added when it's cooled and less than tepid. Not while hot.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
You can either order them on line or I think Waitrose does them.
I was given the ones I have, by my mum who gathered them fresh, in Italy, and dried them herself....
federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Presumably, full of G&T....
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
edited May 2014
No-Knead Bread recipe:
As a cooking utensil, you will need a cast iron pot with a lid, like a round 'Le Creuset' casserole dish, or a pyrex glass oven casserole dish with a lid. A normal bread tin won't do, for this....
Line the lid with a layer of tinfoil, which well overlaps the edges of the lid. (If the lid is domed, gently push the tinfoil up to line the inner dome of the lid, don't leave it 'flat' across....)
Right: Now for the recipe:
in a bowl:
3 cups of flour - whichever type you want... white, wholemeal or a mix of the two.
(2 white, one wholemeal)
one and a bit (almost 2 but not quite) level teaspoons of coarse, rock salt (not the fine, table salt....)
one and a quarter cups of cold water, with 2 teaspoonfuls of freshly-squeezed lemon juice (The water AND the juice make up 1-and-a-quarter cups)
1 quarter-cup of hot water, with a sprinkling of sugar.
half a teaspoonful of dried yeast (or the fresh equivalent)
Mix the dry ingredients (except the yeast!) well, in a bowl.
Add the yeast to the hot water/sugar mix. (The water should be just finger hot, no hotter).
when you see it begin to bubble, pour it onto the flour and add the water/lemon mix.
Stir well with a fork, then finish off with your floured fingers, until all the ingredients are well mixed.
This takes less than a minute. No more.
It will look like... well, like a load of stuff just thrown together.....
cover the bowl with clingfilm, and leave at normal room temperature for 18 hours.
What....? Hang on....
Did you say... 18??
Yes. Eighteen.
Eight - teen.
18.
one-eight.
So, make it at about two or three o'clock in the afternoon, and it will be ready for the next stage at around 11am the next day.
(If the room is warm, then cut the time by about an hour. The cooler the room, the longer you'll have to leave it.... naturally, stands to reason don't it...?)
Now: lightly flour a work surface, re-flour your fingers, and scrape it all out onto the floured surface.
Give it a quick couple of fold-ins, to just bring it down and together a bit, then leave for a quarter of an hour, under the clingfilm cover you used on the bowl. (15 seconds, that took....)
Now, spread a clean dry cloth and pour a little flour onto it.
Again, with floured fingers, pick up the dough, roughly form it into a ball, and put it onto the cloth.
Cover with another cloth and leave to rise for another couple of hours.
about one-and-a-half hours in, turn your oven to 425degrees F, 220 degrees C, gas mark 8. (fan assisted, 200c is perfect).
Put the chosen cooking dish , including the lid, in the oven to heat up.
Now:
When the two hours are up, you need to be brisk, but don't risk hurting yourself because things will be hot:
Take the hot dish out of the oven. Carefully lift the cloth with the dough on it, and plop the dough into the hot dish. You can, if you wish, sprinkle a little cornmeal (medium polenta flour) into the cooking pot, just before you put the dough in, and a little more over the dough once it's in the cooking pot, but it's optional.
Give the cookpot a little bit of a shake, to settle the dough and re-cover with the tin-foil lined lid. Bring the tinfoil down the sides of the cook-pot to really enclose the dough.
Put back in the oven, and cook for around 35 minutes.
Remove the lid and tinfoil, and continue cooking for another 15 - 25 minutes.
Take out of the oven, tip out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool.
I defy you to not eat this at one sitting.
Sounds awesome, when I get back after the half term I might well turn my hand to this - it's bordering on a sour-dough
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
It's bordering on criminally delicious, that's what it's bordering on!!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
I've lost count of the loaves of bread I have made so far, but remembering the ingredients I have bought, I would pretty accurately estimate that it's probably around 15 loaves, and the total cost so far has been around £4.00...
My girlfriend made vegan cream cheese yesterday - basically pulverizing cashews, firm tofu and soymilk in a food processor and adding herbs and sugar to taste. Other recipes involve straining or umeboshi plums or whatever... but I'm certain this is all she did and it turned out pretty darn good!
Sorry I don't have the actual recipe on hand, but it's some food for thought (sorry for the pun).
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
I eat roasted barley like it's going out of fashion....
I'll be sure to check in on this thread again soon, as the end of this month of the yoga program I am doing has a 3 day Vegan "fast" and I'll need plenty of recipe help for THAT. Thank goodness my garden should be doing pretty well.
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
@mmo, Well, I made the recipe, and while it came out perfectly (as far as I can tell - it all went according to the recipe!) I am not keen on the texture. But I am going to try to add different ingredients to the dough, to vary both the texture and the flavour.
I expect with a dressing and other ingredients it will be far more appetising!
@anataman, I have had to increase the dimensions of the ingredients; making one loaf that size, isn't enough to last us 2 days!
@federica
When pouring the tofu paste to container, I put the kitchen roll sheets in the container.
These sheets soak the water from the tofu.
The salad can be made with these things.
salt
sugar
shallot (Thinly sliced, you can wash it a bit to tone down the strong onion flavour)
fried red chilli and onion oil (The onion need to be deep fried. Please add chilli at the end, this will avoid burning it.)
coriander
roasted chickpea powder (this makes the salad a bit creamy or you can use grounded peanuts or cashews)
fish sauce (Not for veggie version)
thinly sliced cabbage (I tried with bean sprouts, it is also crunchy and good)
squeez of lemon to taste
Also, following the same ingredients, you can get the tomato salad we have back home.
You add tomato, instead of tofu (lemon can be omitted as tomato is already a bit sour).
And tomato salad looks like this, which can also be vegetarian (Without fish sauce).
Bread requires practice and patience I have learned yet again. I used to make it all the time and everyone complemented me on how great it tasted. Or they were just being British and polite.
The last weeks' attempts have resulted in me throwing most of them out half eaten, but even the the pidgeons and foxes and other starving animals that normally scavenge my garden have gone elsewhere...
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
what's been going wrong? My bread is fantastic - and i don't take credit for that, but I'm amazed at how delicious it is....
just made this for myself and thought I'd share it - quick,simple, cheap vege and tasty
Mushroom and Thyme soup
Serves 1
1 cup chopped mushrooms (I had some button mushrooms that need to be eaten)
½ cup chopped onion
a few sprigs of fresh thyme (left over from a wild mushroom and thyme risotto - which gave me the idea for the soup)
butter ½ tbs
olive oil 1 tbs
pinch of salt
lots of ground black pepper (I guess I put about 1 tsp)
200ml vegetable stock
Heat pan of vegetable stock and simmer on low heat whilst preparing ingredients.
Gently heat oil and butter in frying pan and add onions fry for a few minutes on medium heat until they are just going soft, add the sprigs of thyme and mushrooms and gently and lovingly toss them with the onions in the oil for about 10 minutes Season well with a pinch of salt and lots of black black pepper. Remove sprigs of thyme, and add all the ingredients to the stock.
Blend well and serve with your favourite bread.
Rich flavour and texture, full tummy, and house smells great too! Next time I'll add a dollop of creme freche.
This is really, really good. I use 2 cans of stewed tomatoes because I like it a little more like stew. It's also quite spicy (I love spicy food and it's a bit spicy even for me) so you could take a pepper or 2 out of the can before you blend it. With the 2 cans of tomato, this gives me 4 good lunches. I think I coated the veggies in olive oil instead of veggie oil.
Navajo Stew
Total time: 55 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 red or green bell peppers
1 large onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 15-ounce can of tomatoes
1 can chipotles in adobo sauce
2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 15-ounce can of butter beans or black beans, drained
flatbread (tortillas, lavash, or pita)
plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes.
Stem and seed the peppers and cut
into 1-inch pieces.
Peel the onion and cut it stem end to root end into thin wedges. In a
bowl, toss the vegetables with the garlic, oil, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Spread on the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 10 minutes.
Stir and continue to roast for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender but not mushy.
While the vegetables roast, puree the tomatoes, chipotles, and cilantro in a blender until
smooth. Set aside.
When the vegetables are tender, put them into a 2- to 3-quart baking
dish, stir in the tomato-cilantro sauce and the beans, and return to the oven until hot,
about 10 minutes.
A few minutes before serving, warm the bread in the oven.
Serve the stew in bowls topped with yogurt or sour cream ( if desired), with warm flatbread on the side.
I had a dish that sounds very much like this when I was in Mexico 10 years ago - they put so much red hot chilli pepper in it the heat blew me away, couldn't finish it and I have a high threshold to chilli heat I think they had made it with Naga chillies- looked like I had just come out of a sauna... lol
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
Made some great chickpea fritters yesterday evening:
1 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
enough cauliflower florets to fill your hand, reduced to small pieces
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 heaped tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 heaped tstp mild curry powder
extra generous pinch of chilli
2 tsps lemon juice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 to 1/cup water
salt to taste
Combine all of the above dry ingredients, then add sufficient water to make a thick batter - dropping consistency.
Shallow-fry in vegetable oil, turning to brown well on both sides..
Serve with dressed salad and my infamous lime pickle! OMG, soooo good!
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federicaSeeker of the clear blue sky...Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubtModerator
I actually substituted frozen broad beans, but once thawed, I peeled the white skin off them, before adding them to the above mix. Love broad beans....
I have got all these ingredients in my larder and fridge/freezer apart from the cauliflower (no one eats it in our house-hold - apart from me, so is never bought) and may well give it a try tomorrow - full belly today and can still taste the thyme - yes I'll test it on the kids tomorrow evening, perhaps substituting broccoli for the cauliflower, I'm always hiding broccoli and courgette in their food and get away with it - but cauliflower - its a white giveaway
Comments
Brined and fermented foods are excellent for a person. They greatly increase guy bacteria that helps produce a healthy immune system. Bring on brined veggies, sauerkraut and kimchi!
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Of course, lettuces come from the same family as Dandelions, which I also eat in abundance in the summer. Young dandelion leaves, thinly sliced, with a plain white-wine vinegar and olive oil dressing, and a good omelette.... luxury!!
My mother once said to me,
"If you don't finish your dinner, you don't get any pudding!"
I apparently replied,
"But mummy, if I eat ALL my dinner, I won't have any room for pudding!"
My father thought my logic was blinding.... and I got my pudding, without having to finish dinner....:D....
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I have so many recipes, for Kimchi included.... do you want them, or do you have them?
I would love a good kimchi recipe! I can find it pre-made here and it's so-so but I prefer to make my own stuff, since I have plenty of canning supplies! I will definitely try the brined lettuce you posted, too. Mmmmm.
OK....
here goes - You asked for it! (I have had to space it out a lot, because the line spacing/formatting on these posts really stinks, at the moment!
FEDE'S DEMON KIMCHI RECIPE
Ingredients
1 (2-pound) head napa cabbage (this type is best, but you can use a savoy cabbage...just not one of the dense, had crispy ones)
1/4 cup sea salt or kosher salt (see Recipe Notes)
Water (see Recipe Notes)
1 tablespoon grated garlic (about 5-6 cloves)
1 teaspoon grated ginger (or to taste - if you like more, add it!)
1 teaspoon sugar
2-3 tablespoons seafood flavour or water (optional, see Recipe Notes)
1-5 tablespoons Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru)
8 ounces Korean radish or daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks
4 spring onions (Scallions, to our USA friends), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Equipment
Cutting board and knife
Large bowl
Gloves (optional but highly recommended!)
Plate and something to weigh the kimchi down, like a jar full of water, or can of beans.
Colander
Smaller bowl
Clean 1-quart jar with canning lid or plastic lid
Bowl or plate to place under jar during fermentation
Instructions
Cut the cabbage. Cut the cabbage lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Cut each quarter crosswise into 2-inch-wide strips.
Salt the cabbage. Place the cabbage and salt in a large bowl. Using your hands (gloves optional), massage the salt into the cabbage until it starts to soften a bit, then add water to cover the cabbage.
Put a plate on top and weigh it down with something heavy, like a jar or can of beans. Let stand for 1-2 hours.
Rinse and drain the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage under cold water 3 times and drain in a colander for 15-20 minutes.
Rinse and dry the bowl you used for salting, and set it aside.
**Make the paste. **Meanwhile, combine the garlic, ginger, sugar, and seafood flavour (or 3 tablespoons water) in a small bowl and mix to form a smooth paste. Mix in the gochugaru, using 1 tablespoon for mild and up to 5 tablespoons for spicy (I like about 3 1/2 tablespoons).
Combine the vegetables and paste.
Gently squeeze any remaining water from the cabbage and return it to the bowl along with the radish, scallions, and seasoning paste.
Mix thoroughly. Using your hands, gently work the paste into the vegetables until they are thoroughly coated. The gloves are optional here but highly recommended to protect your hands from stings, stains, and smells!
**Pack the kimchi into the jar. **
Pack the kimchi into the jar, pressing down on it until the brine rises to cover the vegetables. Leave at least 1-inch of headspace. Seal the jar with the lid.
Let it ferment. Let the jar stand at room temperature for 1-5 days. You may see bubbles inside the jar and brine may seep out of the lid; place a bowl or plate under the jar to help catch any overflow.
Check it daily and refrigerate when ready. Check the kimchi once a day, pressing down on the vegetables with a clean finger or spoon to keep them submerged under the brine. (This also releases gases produced during fermentation.) Taste a little at this point, too! When the kimchi tastes ripe enough for your liking, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. You may eat it right away, but it's best after another week or two.
Recipe Notes
Salt: Use salt that is free of iodine and/or anti-caking agents, which can inhibit fermentation.
Water: Chlorinated water can inhibit fermentation, so use spring, distilled, or filtered water if you can.
Seafood flavour and vegetarian alternatives: Seafood gives kimchi an umami flavour. Different regions and families may use fish sauce, salted shrimp paste, oysters, and other seafood. Use about 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, salted shrimp paste, or a combination of the two. For vegetarian kimchi, I like using 3/4 teaspoon kelp powder mixed with 3 tablespoons water, or simply 3 tablespoons of water.
This is a whole new world for me! The only pickles I eat are gherkins, onions and beetroot. The fermented foods, I have always enjoyed, I make my own beer wine yoghurt and sourdough bread...
@karasti - Are you sure you want to increase good guy bacteria? lol
which reminds me, if you want a cheap version of probiotic drinking yoghurt like yakult or actimel or whatever else they call it in your respective country then do this:
Buy a yoghurt culture that you like, I use yakult. Buy a small pack of four and keep them in the coldest part of the fridge - for safety sake look for the longest sell-by-date, but trust me you can still use them as a culture after that - but best to be safe.
Buy a litre of pasteurised skimmed milk (get the one with the longest sell-buy date again).
If you are someone thats really concerned about hygiene or scared of getting ill from off-milk then heat the milk until it's about to start bubbling, cover and let it cool to hand tolerable heat or 45 degrees c if you have a thermometer.
Clean and rinse the plastic milk container out with boiling water, or use a container with a lid that you can sterilise similarly.
Add one small container of your chosen culture and the warm milk to the container.
Let it stand over night. For the yakult, I like to add a spoon of honey and a little vanilla essence - really nice; for the actimel I add home made berry preserve (made from all those berries that are not eaten and are about to go off - stored in the freezer until the wife moans about the critical mass).
Et voila - 4 yakults become 40 or more so go and enrich your alimentary tract with good gut bacteria...
I make nettle and mint tea from the garden as well and now am going to eat those dastardly dandelion leaves that are sprouting everywhere - I'm not good at gardening - I was always told they make you wet the bed though!
Yes, in France they're called 'pis-en-lit' but it's an undeserved reputation; however, dandelion is extremely good as a tonic for your urinary system, counteracts infections and is 'cleansing' for the kidneys.
As for the leaves, choose ones that are not too jagged... More like this, than like this, as the latter tend to be very bitter.
Choose younger inner leaves. Pick by hand, don't cut.
To clean, grasp the base of the leaf stalk, by the central rib, with the index finger and thumb of one hand, and with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, strip off the leaf, from the mid-rib, by pulling upwards towards the tip (The rib contains the bitter juice).
Wash thoroughly, dry (in a salad spinner, if you have one) and then line all the leaves together in a bunch, like a cos lettuce, and cut across, from tip to base, in thin strips.
Dress with a simple vinaigrette of one part white wine vinegar, three parts oil, and salt, to taste.
Eat with a nice omelette or (even though it's a veggie/vegan thread) with a plainly gently-fried chicken or turkey cutlet. (Gasp!)
I didn't realise that picking and eating dandelion leaves could be an art-form. But I suppose it's what you make it.
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I've just read up on these 'dente di leone' and you can eat the flowers as well!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taraxacum
Sometimes a little knowledge can bring pleasure! You have made my day @federica as far as learning something (or a couple of things) new was concerned. Namely, pickled lettuce and dandelion salad...
I like the 'simple vinaigrette' as well (I like red wine vinegar and English mustard in mine).
Food is something that is essential - may as well enjoy it!
The wonderful thing about pickling with brine, is that, if you taste the solution, and it's too salty - or even not salty enough - you can adjust it even DURING the pickling process!
providing you use the correct salt and water, and keep the food submerged, it all works!
I'm sure British vegetarians/vegans know her already, but for those in the rest of the world who don't know her, I find Rose Elliot's books fantastic for vegetarian recipes. She's been publishing books for over forty years, and the recipes are easy and very cheap. No one beats her when it comes to whipping up a meal in minutes!
I made some boiled chinese soya eggs:
They take a while, but they're fun - and very tasty!
(Again, apologies about the spacing... formatting, and all that.... you know....)
MAKES 6
INGREDIENTS
½ cup soy sauce
½ teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon sugar
6 whole black peppercorns
½ tsp. fennel seeds
8 whole cloves
2 whole star anise
2x 2"sticks cinnamon
1 tbsp. loose-leaf smoked tea, such as lapsang souchong or any good, black tea will do)
6 eggs
INSTRUCTIONS
First, pierce both ends of the eggs lightly and gently.
Place in a pan of cold water, with a tablespoon of vinegar.
Bring to the boil.
Simmer for 3 minutes, then take off the heat, and leave for 10 minutes.
Drain.
In the same pan, put the soy sauce, sugar, peppercorns, fennel, cloves, star anise, cinnamon, and add 2 cups water.
Take the eggs one by one, and gently 'craze' the shells all over, taking care to not break any pieces off, if possible. Do NOT peel them!
Place the eggs in the liquor, bring gently to the boil, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
Again, remove from the heat, and allow to stand for a further 20 minutes.
gently lift the eggs from the liquor and keep aside.
Strain the liquor and discard the tea and spices.
Rinse the pan, and pour the liquor back into the pan.
Add a cup of really cold water, or 6 ice cubes.
return the still-unpeeled eggs to the liquor and allow to remain immersed, until needed.
I made lettuce in brine tonight - didn't quite stick to the recipe @federica but it looks ok - in fact better than expected!
So I just rinse and serve?
Taste it. If it's too salty, rinse. If not, just gently squeeze the excess brine out and add a little olive oil and a touch of lemon juice.
Made myself a salad with a selection of pickled vegetables (carrots, celery and lettuce with spring onions, dressed as above) with some beet -pickled eggs.
Honestly? It was absolutely delicious!
This morning I made myself an "Indian omelette".
I had a small amount of pilau rice left over so I scrambled 2 eggs in a bowl, added half a teaspoon of mild curry powder, a grind of black pepper and a pinch of both turmeric and paprika. I added the cold rice and mixed well.
I melted a small nut of ghee in a non-stick pan, and gently cooked the mix, then slipped it onto a plate, and turned the whole thing over back into the pan to cook the other side.
Once well done (very important to thoroughly re-heat the rice) I ate it with some tomato ketchup.
Delicious!
See if I can give you a picture of breakfast....
...but I have no idea why it's upside-down.... LOL!!
You are going to fast for me @federica - I'm now a religious convert to lettuce in brine (tastier and more appealing than I had given credit to) - is it the same process for carrots?
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I have an excellent recipe for carrots and cauliflower in brine and am also doing some daikon radish.
I'm amazed at how crunchy they stay. Definitely moreish!
Made some eggs pickled with beetroots too. Amazing fun!
Will post recipes later...
And am baking no-knead bread.
Yup. You hardly touch the mix at all.
Can't wait for the results!!
2 pounds small carrots, peeled (or a mix of vegetables, including cauliflower florets, radishes, daikon de-seeded cucumber, kohlrabi and even small summer purple-top turnips...)
4 cups de-chlorinated tap water, or bottled water
1/4 cup kosher/coarse salt
1 sprig of fresh thyme (optional)
2 bay leaves
1 dried hot chilli
1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns (I prefer to use Sezchuan pepper)
6 juniper berries (optional)
Cut the carrots into discs the size you would want to eat at a cocktail party. Or leave them whole. Or split them in half lengthwise. The key here is to keep the thickest part of any piece no wider than about 1 inch.
If using a mix of vegetables, keep them all roughly the same bite-size
Put the salt, bay leaves, black peppercorns, juniper berries (if used) and chilli into the cold water in a steel or non-stick pan, bring to the boil, and cook for a minute or so, then turn off the heat and let this cool to room temperature. This gets the flavours melding.
Once the brine has cooled to room temperature, pack the carrots/vegetables and the thyme sprig (if used) into a clean Mason jar and pour the brine over them, making sure the jars all get some of the spices.
You will have leftover brine. Put this into a clean sterilised jar and keep for future use.
Find some small-ish, flat-ish, smooth, non-porous stones (flint, quartz or granite are best) and sterilise by washing and scrubbing thoroughly then washing in the dishwasher, or putting into a very weak bleach solution and then rinsing thoroughly to remove all traces of bk
bleach.
Push one of these stone into the jar — you want the carrots/vegetables to be completely submerged in the brine. Alternately, fold a lettuce leaf that will just barely fit into the pickling jar, screw on the lid and use that to prevent the carrots from contact with air. If the veggies hit air while fermenting, you get mold.
Put the jar into a cool, dark place for at least 3-4 days. What’s cool? Cooler than 75 degrees. Like many things that ferment, 55 degrees is about perfect. Don’t go colder that 50 degrees. I ferment at about 72 degrees. You can leave the vegetables in longer if you want — they will be saltier and tangier. I often ferment them for a full 2 weeks.
Remove the stone or lettuce leaf (edible!) from your pickling jar. To store your pickles, simply screw the cap on the pickles and put them in the fridge, or you can pour the brine into a clean pot and boil it. When it is cool, pour it back into the jar with the carrots and seal it up.
My vegetables (carrots, daikon radish, cauliflower, red small radishes and some radish greens) all ready for brining.... Washed well drained and air-drying for added crispness...
...And here they are all prepared and now fermenting! You can see the juniper berries in the top of the jar on the left...
Cool!
I thought it was just like salting the lettuce leaves; cooking the veg - It makes sense.
Where do you buy juniper berries - not the local supermarket surely?
Now I think about it the only juniper berries I have ever ingested have been in a G&T
No, you don't COOK THE VEGETABLES!
Re-read the recipe; You only heat the brine to get all the spices and salt to meld....
The liquor must also be added when it's cooled and less than tepid. Not while hot.
You can either order them on line or I think Waitrose does them.
I was given the ones I have, by my mum who gathered them fresh, in Italy, and dried them herself....
Oops! I thought you were blanching them...
Where are my glasses!
Presumably, full of G&T....
No-Knead Bread recipe:
As a cooking utensil, you will need a cast iron pot with a lid, like a round 'Le Creuset' casserole dish, or a pyrex glass oven casserole dish with a lid. A normal bread tin won't do, for this....
Line the lid with a layer of tinfoil, which well overlaps the edges of the lid. (If the lid is domed, gently push the tinfoil up to line the inner dome of the lid, don't leave it 'flat' across....)
Right: Now for the recipe:
in a bowl:
3 cups of flour - whichever type you want... white, wholemeal or a mix of the two.
(2 white, one wholemeal)
one and a bit (almost 2 but not quite) level teaspoons of coarse, rock salt (not the fine, table salt....)
one and a quarter cups of cold water, with 2 teaspoonfuls of freshly-squeezed lemon juice (The water AND the juice make up 1-and-a-quarter cups)
1 quarter-cup of hot water, with a sprinkling of sugar.
half a teaspoonful of dried yeast (or the fresh equivalent)
Mix the dry ingredients (except the yeast!) well, in a bowl.
Add the yeast to the hot water/sugar mix. (The water should be just finger hot, no hotter).
when you see it begin to bubble, pour it onto the flour and add the water/lemon mix.
Stir well with a fork, then finish off with your floured fingers, until all the ingredients are well mixed.
This takes less than a minute. No more.
It will look like... well, like a load of stuff just thrown together.....
cover the bowl with clingfilm, and leave at normal room temperature for 18 hours.
What....? Hang on....
Did you say... 18??
Yes. Eighteen.
Eight - teen.
18.
one-eight.
So, make it at about two or three o'clock in the afternoon, and it will be ready for the next stage at around 11am the next day.
(If the room is warm, then cut the time by about an hour. The cooler the room, the longer you'll have to leave it.... naturally, stands to reason don't it...?)
Now: lightly flour a work surface, re-flour your fingers, and scrape it all out onto the floured surface.
Give it a quick couple of fold-ins, to just bring it down and together a bit, then leave for a quarter of an hour, under the clingfilm cover you used on the bowl. (15 seconds, that took....)
Now, spread a clean dry cloth and pour a little flour onto it.
Again, with floured fingers, pick up the dough, roughly form it into a ball, and put it onto the cloth.
Cover with another cloth and leave to rise for another couple of hours.
about one-and-a-half hours in, turn your oven to 425degrees F, 220 degrees C, gas mark 8. (fan assisted, 200c is perfect).
Put the chosen cooking dish , including the lid, in the oven to heat up.
Now:
When the two hours are up, you need to be brisk, but don't risk hurting yourself because things will be hot:
Take the hot dish out of the oven. Carefully lift the cloth with the dough on it, and plop the dough into the hot dish. You can, if you wish, sprinkle a little cornmeal (medium polenta flour) into the cooking pot, just before you put the dough in, and a little more over the dough once it's in the cooking pot, but it's optional.
Give the cookpot a little bit of a shake, to settle the dough and re-cover with the tin-foil lined lid. Bring the tinfoil down the sides of the cook-pot to really enclose the dough.
Put back in the oven, and cook for around 35 minutes.
Remove the lid and tinfoil, and continue cooking for another 15 - 25 minutes.
Take out of the oven, tip out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool.
I defy you to not eat this at one sitting.
Sounds awesome, when I get back after the half term I might well turn my hand to this - it's bordering on a sour-dough
It's bordering on criminally delicious, that's what it's bordering on!!
I've lost count of the loaves of bread I have made so far, but remembering the ingredients I have bought, I would pretty accurately estimate that it's probably around 15 loaves, and the total cost so far has been around £4.00...
For vegans/vegetarians who miss the taste of bacon.
Cover the base of a pan with hulled sesame seeds. Sprinkle sea salt onto the seeds. Just a little.
Toast the seeds ( shaking the pan ) until light brown and beginning to pop.
Grind seeds and salt until the seeds are broken somewhat..not too fine.
A pestle and mortar does the job best.
Allow to cool.
Dip finger in it . Taste.
Delicious with most things as a topping. Rice is particularly good.
In Japanese it's called Gomasio. Its packed with calcium.
My girlfriend made vegan cream cheese yesterday - basically pulverizing cashews, firm tofu and soymilk in a food processor and adding herbs and sugar to taste. Other recipes involve straining or umeboshi plums or whatever... but I'm certain this is all she did and it turned out pretty darn good!
Sorry I don't have the actual recipe on hand, but it's some food for thought (sorry for the pun).
I eat roasted barley like it's going out of fashion....
This is great! I want to eat more vegetarian meals, but I'm so unsure, with the simplicity and the easiness of a vegetarian meal?
You are kidding, right?
Why 'unsure'....?
Hi fellow buddhists
You could try burmese tofu salad. Someone posted how to do this click here
It said about adding fish sauce, which will be omitted for vegetarian version.
She isn't burmese thought. The actual burmese salad looks like this.
Am definitely going to try this! Even my H might like it - he loves chickpeas!!
Let me know how it goes. The measurement is important in making tofu cake. I have succeeded a perfect one after a few failures.
I'm making bread again - it brings such a homely perfume to the house.
I'll be sure to check in on this thread again soon, as the end of this month of the yoga program I am doing has a 3 day Vegan "fast" and I'll need plenty of recipe help for THAT. Thank goodness my garden should be doing pretty well.
@mmo, Well, I made the recipe, and while it came out perfectly (as far as I can tell - it all went according to the recipe!) I am not keen on the texture. But I am going to try to add different ingredients to the dough, to vary both the texture and the flavour.
I expect with a dressing and other ingredients it will be far more appetising!
@anataman, I have had to increase the dimensions of the ingredients; making one loaf that size, isn't enough to last us 2 days!
@federica
When pouring the tofu paste to container, I put the kitchen roll sheets in the container.
These sheets soak the water from the tofu.
The salad can be made with these things.
salt
sugar
shallot (Thinly sliced, you can wash it a bit to tone down the strong onion flavour)
fried red chilli and onion oil (The onion need to be deep fried. Please add chilli at the end, this will avoid burning it.)
coriander
roasted chickpea powder (this makes the salad a bit creamy or you can use grounded peanuts or cashews)
fish sauce (Not for veggie version)
thinly sliced cabbage (I tried with bean sprouts, it is also crunchy and good)
squeez of lemon to taste
Also, following the same ingredients, you can get the tomato salad we have back home.
You add tomato, instead of tofu (lemon can be omitted as tomato is already a bit sour).
And tomato salad looks like this, which can also be vegetarian (Without fish sauce).
The image is from here
The turmeric added to the dough made it taste bitter. I am going to leave it out, because I think that is what put me off....
I also found this amazing recipe, which takes a bit more time, but I have had something like this before, and it is the most delicious recipe!!
Bread requires practice and patience I have learned yet again. I used to make it all the time and everyone complemented me on how great it tasted. Or they were just being British and polite.
The last weeks' attempts have resulted in me throwing most of them out half eaten, but even the the pidgeons and foxes and other starving animals that normally scavenge my garden have gone elsewhere...
what's been going wrong? My bread is fantastic - and i don't take credit for that, but I'm amazed at how delicious it is....
I added really little turmeric for the tofu colour. So I don't notice it. May be I am used to the taste of it.
Thanks for the recipe @federica, the yogurt thing is quite new to me.
I will try it sometime though.
just made this for myself and thought I'd share it - quick,simple, cheap vege and tasty
Mushroom and Thyme soup
Serves 1
1 cup chopped mushrooms (I had some button mushrooms that need to be eaten)
½ cup chopped onion
a few sprigs of fresh thyme (left over from a wild mushroom and thyme risotto - which gave me the idea for the soup)
butter ½ tbs
olive oil 1 tbs
pinch of salt
lots of ground black pepper (I guess I put about 1 tsp)
200ml vegetable stock
Heat pan of vegetable stock and simmer on low heat whilst preparing ingredients.
Gently heat oil and butter in frying pan and add onions fry for a few minutes on medium heat until they are just going soft, add the sprigs of thyme and mushrooms and gently and lovingly toss them with the onions in the oil for about 10 minutes Season well with a pinch of salt and lots of black black pepper. Remove sprigs of thyme, and add all the ingredients to the stock.
Blend well and serve with your favourite bread.
Rich flavour and texture, full tummy, and house smells great too! Next time I'll add a dollop of creme freche.
This is really, really good. I use 2 cans of stewed tomatoes because I like it a little more like stew. It's also quite spicy (I love spicy food and it's a bit spicy even for me) so you could take a pepper or 2 out of the can before you blend it. With the 2 cans of tomato, this gives me 4 good lunches. I think I coated the veggies in olive oil instead of veggie oil.
Navajo Stew
Total time: 55 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
Instructions
I had a dish that sounds very much like this when I was in Mexico 10 years ago - they put so much red hot chilli pepper in it the heat blew me away, couldn't finish it and I have a high threshold to chilli heat I think they had made it with Naga chillies- looked like I had just come out of a sauna... lol
Made some great chickpea fritters yesterday evening:
1 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
enough cauliflower florets to fill your hand, reduced to small pieces
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 heaped tsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 heaped tstp mild curry powder
extra generous pinch of chilli
2 tsps lemon juice
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 to 1/cup water
salt to taste
Combine all of the above dry ingredients, then add sufficient water to make a thick batter - dropping consistency.
Shallow-fry in vegetable oil, turning to brown well on both sides..
Serve with dressed salad and my infamous lime pickle! OMG, soooo good!
I actually substituted frozen broad beans, but once thawed, I peeled the white skin off them, before adding them to the above mix. Love broad beans....
I have got all these ingredients in my larder and fridge/freezer apart from the cauliflower (no one eats it in our house-hold - apart from me, so is never bought) and may well give it a try tomorrow - full belly today and can still taste the thyme - yes I'll test it on the kids tomorrow evening, perhaps substituting broccoli for the cauliflower, I'm always hiding broccoli and courgette in their food and get away with it - but cauliflower - its a white giveaway