In a formal Italian meal, risotto is served as a primo or first course and then the secondi or meat course follows. Obviously there is a lot of eating over the course of the evening /night happens. I like the risotto to stand on its own so I pack it with lots of flavour even though I say so myself! I may serve a small starter or a dessert when I make risotto.
This was a big hit with my family and I urge you to try it. The success of your risotto depends on your stock. I like to make my own stocks and if you are after any stock recipes, hit the search bar.
I love cauliflower because it lends itself so well to all cooking styles. I know there is the recent craze with cauliflower rice and tabouli but be it in a soup, roasted or in a curry, a stir fry or a humble cauliflower cheese, they are all delicious. People talk about pantry staples and if I were to talk about fridge staples, cauliflower will probably be in my top 5.
You can feature these cauliflower steaks as a main course or a starter for a vegan degustation meal.
CAULIFLOWER STEAKS WITH CANNELINI BEANS & ROASTED CHICK PEAS
Cauli steaks with cannelini mash and roasted chick peas
INGREDIENTS
1 large cauliflower weighing at least a kilo
1 tablespoon garam masala powder
1-2 teaspoons chilli powder
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
400g tin of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well
I know there are a number of recipes for falafel but this recipe is not a true falafel. I couldn’t think of another name so I called them falafel. These falafels are made with red lentils, butternut pumpkin and bulgur. Served with baby cos lettuce leaves or other salad geens they are a complete and satisfying meal.
Cranberry beans also called borlotti beans, Roman or romano beans are creamy and flavourful. They do lose their gorgeous colouring once cooked.
Cranberry beans
You can cook them in a number of ways but I wanted to make a hearty vegan one pot dish and this is as easy as they come. You just need to remember to soak the beans overnight so you need a bit of planning to make this. When I make dishes like this, I tend to save one half for another meal before eating!
INGREDIENTS
400g cranberry beans (soaked overnight)
300g onion, evenly diced
400g carrots, chunky diced
2 celery sticks, sliced thinly
200g tinned tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
15 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
6-7 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Aleppo style chilli powder or a mild chilli powder
There are several regional variations of kadi. This one is with onion pakodis but you can substitute spinach for the onion. In the South, they use vegetables like choko or okra to make kadi.
By now you may have guessed that I am trying to introduce you to more South Indian home cooking. This is another popular homemade snack from Andhra. These are crunchy, gluten free and really very moreish even if I say so myself.
Apachulu (Andhra style rice crackers)
INGREDIENTS
½ cup heaped rice flour plus more for dusting
2tsps channa dhal (split chick peas), soaked in water for ½ hour
Indians have a love affair with Chaat. Be it Lucknow or Mumbai Chowpatty or anywhere else on the sub-continent, everyone loves chaat. Taking basic and humble ingredients and with judicious uses of condiments and garnishes, chaat becomes memorable. The street vendors generally specialize in one chaat and it is a pleasure watching them pile the mouthwatering delicacy onto your plate.
Growing up in Visakhapatnam, by the Bay of Bengal, (they were plenty of street vendors on the beach mostly unregistered and unlicensed) we were never permitted to have Bhel puri or Pani puri at the street stalls even though we yearned for it. When older cousins visited for summer holidays, we would indulge, and it would be our little secret!
Depending on what chaat you can make, it can be an entrée or a starter or you can plan the entire menu around chaat. Whatever you wish to serve, I reckon it will become a family favourite.
Ragda Patties colloquially referred to as Ragda Pattice is made from potatoes and dried peas. Of course, top with tamarind and date chutney, coriander chutney, and garnish with chopped onion, coriander and sev.
What is the origin of the pattice?
It is suggested that Indian chicken and Mutton Pattice also called Pattie and puffs is a ‘desi’ variant of the Cornish Pasty introduced to the colonies by the British. It is not hard to imagine how the word Pasties evolved into Pattice in the subcontinent.
For the pea stew, you can use tinned chick peas I suppose or even split chick peas could work. I used dried white peas you get in an Indian store.
FOR THE RAGDA
INGREDIENTS
200 grams dried white peas (safed vatana)
a couple of pinches of turmeric powder
Salt to taste
METHOD:
Soak the dried white peas overnight. Discard the soaking liquid, rinse. If you are using a pressure cooker, put the peas in the pressure cooker, add two cups water and cook for 15 minutes on low heat after the first whistle.
If you are using stove top method, put the peas in a heavy bottomed saucepan and pour 3 cups of water. Bring it up to the boil and allow to simmer and cook for 45 minutes to an hour.
In a saucepan, boil a cup of water. Add the cooked peas into the water. Mix in the salt and turmeric powder and keep it at a gentle simmer.
FOR THE PATTICE
INGREDIENTS
400g boiled potatoes, finely grated
½ teaspoon hot chilli powder
½ teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons corn flour
Salt to taste
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil to pan fry
METHOD
Combine all ingredients for pattice and knead a little to make a smooth mixture. Divide potato mixture into 12 equal portions. Shape into patties about 6 centimetres in diameter. Rest patties in refrigerator for half an hour.
Heat a fry pan and working in batches, fry the patties a few at a time. Keep warm.
FOR THE CHILLI CHUTNEY
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup tomato ketchup
¼ cup Sriracha sauce
1-2 tablespoons malt vinegar
METHOD
Mix all ingredients for the chilli chutney. Taste and adjust according to personal preference.
FOR THE TAMARIND SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons store bought tamarind puree
2 tablespoon date puree
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot chilli powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
150ml water
Salt to taste
METHOD
Put all ingredients except salt in a saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil. Add salt and simmer for five minutes. Taste to adjust seasoning.
FOR THE CORIANDER CHUTNEY
1 cup coriander stems, roots and leaves washed and roughly chopped
3 -4 green chillies, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
½ teaspoon cumin seed powder
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 -2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
Puree all the ingredients except the lime or lemon juice. Then add the juice and stir well. Will keep in fridge for a day or two.
ASSEMBLE IN INDIVIDUAL BOWLS
In a shallow bowl, spoon the ragda. Arrange the potato patties. Spoon the tamarind and chilli chutney. Dot the coriander chutney. Ideas for additional garnishes could be finely chopped onion or sev (from Indian store) and serve. Serves 4.
There is something very moreish about a well-made quiche. The creaminess from the savoury custard provides a textural contrast with the crisp pastry base. I made this with store bought shortcrust pastry and it worked perfectly, saving time. I used a loose bottom 24 centimetre flan tray
Caramelized onion and spinach quiche
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE PASTRY
400g block of frozen short crust pastry (store bought), thawed as per instructions on packet
Koftas are fried dumplings usually made with vegetables like bottle gourd or paneer or meat and cooked in a rich tomato and cream sauce. Everyone loves the rich creaminess of malai kofta. I wasn’t sure if a vegan version would be good enough. Surprisingly this version got the tick from the family. I don’t favour vegan cheese or vegan cream. I always feel it has a lingering after taste. That’s why in my no cream, no paneer version, I made with cashew nuts and tofu. Trust me, no one would be able to sniff the tofu and will convert even the worst sceptic.
