Tag: Easy

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CRANBERRY BEAN STEW

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

1 teaspoon smoky or mild paprika

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CREAMY PUMPKIN SOUP (with no cream)

I hadn’t heard of pumpkin soup until I came to this country. In the late 80’s, sometimes pumpkins were given free and even now, thirty years later they are still wallet friendly and have loads of goodness in them.

I didn’t have a clue how to cut a pumpkin and had an accident on my first effort. I still have a scar on my left thumb to remind me how not to do it. If you are pumpkin challenged and you are preparing for soup, stick the piece in the microwave for a couple of minutes to soften the skin. This way peeling is safer!

There are several variations of pumpkin soup and this is a simple one using 4 ingredients and some spices.

Pumpkin soup

INGREDIENTS

1 – 1.2kg crown pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 3-4cm chunks

200g onions, chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, peeled

75g red lentils, rinsed (one third cup)

Freshly grated nutmeg

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BEET GREENS AND LENTILS

For as long as I remember, after breakfast, my mother or grandmother would forage for greens in our garden or the neighbourhood. We always had to have greens on the menu at lunch time. It is only natural that any edible greens were treated as a bonus and among unusual things my mum cooked, remember radish greens or moringa (drumstick) greens. In the same tradition, I have started using the beet greens – sometimes I cook on their own and smother it with roasted peanuts. This variation is spicy, nourishing (incidentally beet greens are high in iron and other essential vitamins and minerals) and so easy to make.

Beet Greens

INGREDIENTS

125g lentils, rinsed

250g beet greens

150g onions, sliced thinly

4-5 garlic, peeled and crushed

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BIRCHER MUESLI

Bircher Muesli

Eating oats daily can lower bad cholesterol because of the soluble fibre, help control high blood pressure and maintain your blood glucose level, all the while making you feel fuller for longer. That’s not too bad for one of the cheapest and most versatile grains on the supermarket shelf. I sometimes wonder why we don’t call this a super food.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups rolled oats

2 tablespoons chia seeds

1/3 cup of desiccated coconut

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ZUCCHINI PIE

Make this in summer when zucchinis are in plenty supply. I made mine in a pie dish but you can in a rectangle slice pan. Serve it with a fresh green salad and my tomato chilli relish on the side for lunch. This is gluten free and the fennel adds a nice touch.

Zucchini Pie

INGREDIENTS

3 cups finely grated zucchinis

¾ cup coarsely grated tasty cheese

4 eggs, lightly beaten

30ml butter, melted

90ml vegetable oil

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PAYASAM

Payasam

Payasam is made using milk, sugar and either sago, rice or vermicelli. It is made all over the sub- continent with some variation and I think is one of the most commonly made “sweet” at home.

I have created this recipe with coconut milk and jaggery instead of milk and sugar. I have also spiced it up with star anise, black pepper and lots of cardamom.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup sago

1 plus ½ cup of water

100 grams dark jaggery or dark muscavado sugar

60 grams cashew pieces, soaked in warm water for an hour

400ml tin of coconut milk

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ROAST CAULI & BUTTERNUT SOUP WITH SAGE

Roast Cauli & Butternut Soup with Sage

The recipe is from Hugh Fearnley –Whittingstall’s Much More Veg.

This is a deliciously creamy soup perfect for a cold night. It is easy to make: the veg are simply roasted then blitzed. It is fantastic finished with a trickle of good balsamic vinegar and a dollop of crème fraiche.

INGREDIENTS

1 small to medium cauliflower (about 700 grams)

600 grams (half) of a butternut squash

1 large onion, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole

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