Red Lentil and Coconut Dal - One Pot

A John Gregory-Smith recipe

Serves 4

2 tbsp olive oil
3 tsp cumin seeds
2 onions, finely sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
1 inch ginger, finely sliced
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
200g red lentils
1 x400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 x 400g tin coconut milk
The juice of a lime
A small handful of finely chopped coriander leaves
Salt

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and crackle for a few seconds before adding the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until golden.
2. Chuck the garlic and ginger into the pan and mix well. Cook, stirring continuously, for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Put the turmeric, chilli powder, lentils, tomatoes, coconut milk and a good pinch of salt into the pan. Pour in 150ml of just boiled water and mix well. Bring to the boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. If it looks a little dry, add another 50-100ml of water and mix well.
4. To finish, add the lime juice and coriander to the daal. Mix well. Check the seasoning, adding more salt to taste and serve immediately with rice.

Chipotle Butter Beans Bowls

This one pan dinner is based on a John Gregory-Smith recipe and is quick and easy to make.  And its accidentally vegetarian

Serves 2

1 tbsp olive oil
½ onion, finely chopped
½ red pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp chipotle chilli paste e.g. Gran Luchito
2 tsp tomato puree
1 x 570g jar butterbeans
50g sour cream
A handful of shredded lettuce and tortilla chips to serve
Pickles onions and cheddar cheese to serve

For the avocado sour cream

1 avocado
1 tbsp pickled chillies
1 spring onion
A handful of coriander
50g sour cream
The juice of half a lime

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the onion and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until tender. Add a little splash of water to help steam the peppers and soften them even more. Add the garlic, chipotle chilli paste and tomato puree. Mix well and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Pour the whole jar of beans into the pan. Mix well, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes to warm though.
3. Add the sour cream and stir together. Check the seasoning adding salt and pepper to taste.
4. Whilst that cooks, throw the avocado, pickled chillies, spring onion, coriander, sour cream, lime and a pinch of salt into a blender and blitz until smooth.
5. To serve divide the beans between two bowls and top with the lettuce, pickled onions, cheddar, chips and a dollop of the avocado sour cream.

Carrots with Ginger and Orange (from Anne Connolly)

 

• Cut carrots into narrow strips (can pre-soak in sugar solution)
• Sweat them in butter (little salt) and loads of finely chopped ginger
• After about 5 -7 min, while still hard, add juice and zest from an orange
• I then add about a teaspoon of pomegranate mollasses

Beef Guinness Prunes - Tamasin Day Lewis

 

Roasted Chicken with Clementines and Arak

An Ottolenghi Recipe

 

Spiced Chickpea Stew With Coconut and Turmeric

Spiced chickpeas are crisped in olive oil, then simmered in a garlicky coconut milk for an insanely creamy, basically-good-for-you stew that evokes stews found in South India and parts of the Caribbean. While the chickpeas alone would be good as a side dish, they are further simmered with stock, bolstered with dark, leafy greens of your choosing and finished with a handful of fresh mint. When shopping, be sure to avoid low-fat coconut milk, coconut milk meant for drinking or cream of coconut: All are very different and would not be suitable here.

Yield:4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• ¼cup olive oil, plus more for serving

• 4garlic cloves, chopped

• 1large yellow onion, chopped

• 1(2-inch) piece ginger, finely chopped

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 1½teaspoons ground turmeric, plus more for serving

• 1teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving

• 2(15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

• 2(15-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk

• 2cups vegetable or chicken stock

• 1bunch Swiss chard, kale or collard greens, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces

• 1cup mint leaves, for serving

• Yogurt, for serving (optional)

• Toasted pita, lavash or other flatbread, for serving (optional)

PREPARATION

• Step 1

• Heat ¼ cup oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.

• Step 2

• Add 1½ teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, and the chickpeas, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas sizzle and fry a bit in the spices and oil, until they’ve started to break down and get a little browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.

• Step 3

• Using a wooden spoon or spatula, further crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides. (This will help thicken the stew.) Add coconut milk and stock, and season with salt and pepper.

• Step 4

• Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stew has thickened, 30 to 35 minutes. (Taste a chickpea or two, not just the liquid, to make sure they have simmered long enough to be as delicious as possible.) If after 30 to 35 minutes, you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you've reached your desired consistency. Determining perfect stew thickness is a personal journey!

• Step 5

• Add greens and stir, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cook until they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you’re using. (Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.) Season again with salt and pepper.

• Step 6

• Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes and a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you'd like.

Tray - Baked Aubergines, Chickpeas and Tomatoes

 

Adapted from a vegan Meera Sodha recipe.  

Think of this recipe as a starting point: you could drop the spices or add a spoonful of harissa, Thai curry paste, some lemongrass, perhaps – you choose! – to change up the flavours, and swap the chickpeas for whatever tinned beans you have in the cupboard. Obviously,  you could omit the haloumi.

Maybe serve with a crisp green salad and bread to wipe the plate

Prep 5 min                                               Cook 1 hr 10 min                                        Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

100ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing

2-3 medium aubergines (about 775g)

6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2-3 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes (preferably cherry tomatoes)

1½ tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

¾ tsp ground cinnamon

3 tsp (or more) ras-el-hanout

1-2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained

1 packet of halloumi cheese sliced 1 cm thick (optional) 

To serve

200g thick yoghurt

2 tbsp tahini mixed with 2 tbsp water

Scant ½ tsp fine sea salt

Mint leaves, chopped

METHOD

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Line a large baking sheet (or two medium ones) with reusable baking paper and brush with oil.

Chop the aubergines into 1½cm-thick rounds, put these side by side on the baking tray(s) and brush the tops with oil.

Put the oil and crushed garlic in a 30cm x 40cm baking dish, then add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, cinnamon and ras-el-hanout, and stir gently to combine.

Pop the aubergine tray(s) and tomato dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, until the aubergine slices are collapsing when squished together; if they’re not, bake them for another five to 10 minutes. Scrape the aubergines into the tomato dish, add the chickpeas and mix. Then place 1cm thick slices of haloumi in the sauce and bake for another 30 minutes, by which time the sauce should be oily, dark and rich.

Meanwhile, mix the yoghurt, loosened tahini and salt in a pretty serving bowl. Spoon the aubergines, tomatoes and chickpeas into another large bowl, add a generous dollop of the tahini yoghurt, scatter over the mint leaves and serve with the remaining yoghurt mix on the side.