Aubergine & chickpea tagineServes 4.
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, peeled & chopped
2 celery stalks, trimmed & sliced
1 small leek, washed, trimmed & sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled & finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
400g chopped tomatoes (I use 2 tins as I find one is too dry)
1 large aubergine, diced into 2 cm pieces
2 small red peppers, deseeded & diced
2 small yellow peppers, deseeded & diced
1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder
410 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 300g dried ones soaked overnight then boiled for an hour)
1 handful fresh basil
1 handful fresh coriander
Place the oil in a tagine or covered casserole dish and warm gently over a low heat. Add the onions, celery, leek and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add all the spices, tomatoes and vegetables and cook for a further 3 minutes.
Mix the bouillon with 2 tablespoons of boiling water and add to the tagine. Lower the heat and simmer for 40-50 minutes.
Add the chickpeas and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the fresh herbs and serve from the dish with brown rice.
Lentil stew.Serves 4.
225g brown lentils
2 onions, peeled & finely chopped
1 vegetable stock cube
4 carrots, trimmed, peeled and chopped
1/2 a butternut squash, peeled, deseeded & chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled & diced
4 small white potatoes, peeled & diced
1 celery stalk, trimmed & chopped
50g fresh garden peas (or frozen)
100g watercress
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tsp tamari sauce
Soak the lentils in cold water for 20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and drain. Place the onions and stock cube in a saucepan with 750ml water and bring to the boil. Add the lentils, carrots, sweet potato, squash and white potatoes. Bring back to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the celery
and simmer for a further 5 minutes.
Add the peas, watercress, dill and tamari and serve.
You can add extra water and stock and bung it in the blender to turn it into soup.
Potato & aubergine curryIngredients:
1-2 tsp chilli powder (depending how hot you like it)
½ tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground cumin (or to taste)
1 tsp ground coriander or to taste
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp tomato paste
60g vegetable oil
450g aubergines, sliced
1-2 tsp cumin seeds
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 fresh hot green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
450g canned crushed tomatoes, with juice, or peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes
4 medium potatoes, cut in cubes and steamed til tender
170g Linda McCartney vegetarian burgers, cooked and cubed (optional)
Fresh coriander for garnish
Mix the spices, salt and tomato paste with 1 tbsp of the oil in a small bowl. Spread the spice mixture over the cut sides of the aubergine slices. Cut the slices into strips. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry the cumin seeds until they begin to pop. Add the aubergine strips and grated ginger and turn the heat down. Cover and cook for 8 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add the chilli, tomatoes and potatoes with 3-4 tbsp water and simmer, covered tightly, for 15-20 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add the browned vegetarian burger pieces, and mix well. Serve garnished with the coriander leaves.
Aubergines in a north-south sauce
4 tablespoons olive or rapeseed oil
1/8 teaspoon ground asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon skinned urad dal or yellow split peas
1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji) if available
1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
675g/1 1/2 lb aubergine cut into 2/5cm/1" chunks
2 medium tomatoes, grated
250ml/8fl oz chicken stock or water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pour the oil into a very large frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. When hot, put in the asafoetida and the urad dal. As soon as the dal turns a shade darker, add the mustard, cumin, nigella and fennel seeds in that order. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the onion. Stir and fry for 1 minute. Add the garlic and the aubergines. Stir and fry for 4/5 minutes or until the onions are lightly browned.
Add the tomatoes, stock, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir to mix, and bring to the boil. Cover, lower the heat and cook gently for about 20 minutes, or until the aubergines are tender, stirring now and then.
Green lentils with green beans and fresh corianderServes 4-6
250g/9oz green lentils
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
115g/4oz green beans, cut into 2cm/3/4" segments
60g/2oz finely chopped fresh coriander
3 tablespoons olive oil or rapeseed oil
1/8 teaspoon ground asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 medium shallot, peeled and sliced into fine slivers
lemon wedges (optional)
Put the lentils into a medium saucepan with 950ml/34 fl oz water and bring to the boil. Cover partially, lower the heat and simmer very gently for 20 minutes. Add the salt, cayenne pepper, green beans and coriander. Stir to mix, bring back to the boil, cover partially and simmer very gently for a further 20 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Pour the oil into a small frying pan and set over a medium high heat. When hot, put in the asafoetida and cumin. Let the seeds sizzle for 10 seconds. Add the shallot. Stir and fry over a medium heat until it turns reddish. Pour the entire contents of the frying pan into the pan with the lentils. Stir to mix. Serve with lemon wedges if desired.
Spinach with black-eyed beans - recipe says serves 4 but I think more like 3
3 tbsp vegetable oil
rounded 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
2-4 dried red chillies
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated to a paste
14 fresh curry leaves
250g whole leaf spinach, shredded, or baby leaf spinach, well washed
salt, to taste
lots of freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground coriander
1 rounded tsp ground cumin
400g can of black-eyed beans, drained well and rinsed
1 1/2 - 2 tsp tamarind paste
good handful of roasted salted peanuts
Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan. Add the mustard, fenugreek seeds and chillies. Once the mustard seeds have spluttered, add the garlic and curry leaves and cook gently until the garlic is just starting to turn golden. Add the spinach, seasoning and a splash of water, mix well and cover. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the spinach is well wilted, stirring occasionally. Add the coriander and cumin, half the black-eyed beans and a splash of water. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. Take out one-third of the mix and blend to a fine puree. Return to the pan with the remaining beans. Stir in the tamarind paste and peanuts. Boil off any excess water until you are left with a thick creamy mass. Taste, adjust the seasoning, add more tamarind paste if you want more tang, and serve.
Tangy chickpea curryServes 4-5
12g fresh root ginger, peeled weight
4 fat garlic cloves
2 largish tomatoes, quartered
5-6 tbsp vegetable oil
4 cloves
4 green cardamom pods
1 black cardamom pod
2 large shards cinnamon
2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 green chillies, whole but pierced
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp ground coriander
1/4-1/2 tsp chilli powder
salt, to taste
2 x 400g chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2-2/3 tsp tamarind paste or dried pomegranate powder, or to taste
handful of finely chopped fresh coriander
Blend together the ginger, garlic and tomatoes with a little water until smooth. Set aside.
Roast half the cumin seeds in a small dry pan for about 40 seconds, stirring constantly, until they have darkened quite a bit. Grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon and half the cumin seeds and cook until they release their aroma and start to crackle. Add the green chillies and onion and cook until the onion is well browned. Add the tomato paste with the turmeric, ground coriander, chilli powder and salt, and cook over a moderate to high heat until the oil comes out at the sides (around 15 minutes), stirring often.
Add the roasted cumin powder to the pot.
Add the chickpeas and 500ml water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over a medium heat for 7 or 8 minutes. Stir in the garam masala and tamarind paste. Mash a few of the chickpeas on the side of the pan to thicken the sauce a little. Taste for seasoning and tartness, adjusting if necessary, then sprinkle with the chopped coriander and serve.
Okra and aubergine spicy masala
Serves 4
3 tbsp vegetable oil
pinch of fenugreek seeds
pinch of fennel seeds
2-3 cardamom pods
2cm cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
150g okra, cut into pieces
150g aubergine, cut into pieces
salt
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, garlic and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown.
Add the turmeric, chilli powder, ground coriander and tomato puree and stir well, then cook for a further 1 minute. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and 500ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is thick.
Add the okra and aubergine to the sauce with salt to taste, and stir thoroughly. Cover and cook on a low heat for 5 minutes or until the okra and aubergine become tender. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.