Red Lentil Courgette Dal
erves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes. Total cooking time: 70 minutes.
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans (use vegetable oil instead of ghee/butter) and those on a gluten free diet
Serve piping hot with Aloo Gobi , Fine Beans and Potato curries, Bhindi; rotis or paranthas and plain boiled brown rice
Red Lentils & Courgette Dal
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 whole cloves
1 medium onion, chopped finely
200g tinned plum peeled whole or chopped tomatoes or 3 fresh tomatoes skinned and chopped roughly
1½ - 2 chillies (green finger), chopped finely
2 level teaspoons salt
½ - ¾ teaspoon turmeric (haldi) - add higher amount if using fresh tomatoes
½ teaspoon of garam masala
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated finely
4 - 6 dried or fresh bay leaves
140g red lentils, sorted (to remove stones etc), washed and drained
240g courgettes, peeled and grated
850ml - 900ml water
handful of chopped fresh coriander
Juice of half a lemon/lime to taste
garnish fresh coriander leaves, optional
Method:
Heat the oil (butter or ghee) on medium heat until fairly hot (be careful with butter/ghee as these have lower smoking points). Add the cumin seeds and cloves and stir until they splutter (virtually immediately)
Turn the heat down to low/medium, add the onions and fry gently stirring occasionally until they soften.
Add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric, chillies, garlic, ginger stir. Continue to cook gently, ‘mashing’ the tomatoes until a paste like consistency forms. I use a potato masher.
Add the garam masala, stir and cook for a further minute or so or until oil oozes out of the paste when a wooden spoon is dragged along the base of the pan
Add the red lentils and courgettes, mix together to coat with the tarka.
Add the water, stir and bring to the boil.
Lower the heat, place a lid on the pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the lemon juice and chopped coriander. Bring back to the boil on gentle heat.
Take off the heat. Serve piping hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves and a drizzle of oil with plain boiled rice and chapattis.
Marrow Kofta Curry
Serves: 4
The koftas can be made in advance.
Koftas:
Preparation time: 15 minutes Frying time: about 20 minutes
Tarka:
Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minute.
Total time (for whole dish): 70 minutes though elements of the koftas can be carried out whilst the tarka is being made thus saving on total dish time.
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten free diet
Serve piping hot with any flatbread and plain boiled brown rice
Marrow Kofta Curry
Ingredients:
Tarka
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil or ghee
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
4 cloves
1 medium sized onions (c. 150g), halved horizontally and sliced thinly
200g tinned tomatoes or 3 medium tomatoes - skinned and chopped roughly
1½ green chillies, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1½ level teaspoons of salt
½ - ¾ level teaspoon of turmeric (use the higher amount if using fresh tomatoes)
¼ - ½ level teaspoon of garam masala
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated finely
800ml water
handful of chopped coriander leaves
Marrow Koftas:
600g marrow (weight after soft centre removed and discarded), peeled and grated coarsely. Can be made with courgettes instead of marrow.
1 chillies (green finger), chopped finely
1 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon haldi (turmeric)
½ teaspoon of garam masala
1 clove garlic, crushed
a handful chopped coriander
150g gram flour, sifted
10 - 20ml water, if needed
Oil (rapeseed/vegetable) for deep fat frying.
Method:
Tarka:
Heat the oil on medium heat until fairly hot. Add the cumin seeds and cloves and stir until they splutter (virtually immediately)
Turn the heat down to low/medium, add the onions and fry gently stirring occasionally until they soften.
Add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric, chillies, garlic, ginger stir. Continue to cook gently, ‘mashing’ the tomatoes until a paste like consistency forms. I use a potato masher.
Add the garam masala, stir and cook for a further minute or so or until oil oozes out of the paste when a wooden spoon is dragged along the base of the pan
Koftas:
Quarter marrow, peel and remove the soft centre and discard.
Wash and grate coarsely.
Place the grated marrow in a muslin cloth and squeeze out as much of the water as possible (save this juice to use in juices or to add to broth for risottos and soups)
Place the resulting ‘pulp’ in a bowl, add the spices EXCEPT the salt. Add the garlic and mix together, using your fingers
Add the sifted gram flour and mix it into the spiced marrow pulp. Add the coriander and remix.
Heat the oil in a wok (only use enough oil to cover a third of the wok and use the back burner) on medium to high heat. To test when hot enough, drop a very small amount of the mixture into the hot oil, it should rise within a second or two.
Just before frying add the salt and mix thoroughly. The salt will cause the juices from the grated marrow to ooze out and should be enough to bind the mixture. If not, add a very small amount of water.
Scoop the mixture into a dessertspoon using a teaspoon to make a ‘mound’ in the dessertspoon. Gently drop this ‘mound’ into the hot oil guiding the mixture as you drop it in so it drops as a ‘mound’ rather than spreads out. Depending on the diameter of your wok, drop a number of these mounds into the hot oil ensuring there is sufficient room to turn the fritters over in the oil readily.
Fry on medium to high heat. When the fritters rise in the oil, turn them over. Continue turning them over every so often until they are golden brown in colour on both sides.
Drain, remove from the oil and place on absorbent kitchen paper.
Repeat the process from No. 5 above until all the batter has been used (makes 12 koftas)
Putting it all together:
Add the water to the tarka, stir and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to a gentle boil.
Gently drop the koftas in the koftas one at a time. Stir very gently and lightly lifting each kofta as you do so.
Bring back to simmering point. Place the lid on the pan and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Add the chopped coriander. Stir in very gently as above so as not to break up the koftas. Replace lid and simmer for another 5 minute or so.
Take off the heat and serve with rice and a flatbread of choice
Marrow Fritters
Serve as a Starter or a Snack
Makes 18 Fritters
Preparation time: 15 minutes Frying time: about 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians, Vegans and those on a gluten free diet.
Enjoy piping hot on their own as a snack or with a chutney and yoghurt as a starter to a meal.
Ingredients:
800g marrow (weight after soft centre removed and discarded), peeled and grated coarsely
1½ chillies (green finger), chopped finely
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon haldi (turmeric)
½ teaspoon of garam masala
1 clove garlic, crushed
a handful chopped coriander
170g gram flour, sifted
10 - 20ml water, if needed
Additional ingredients:
Oil (rapeseed/vegetable) for deep fat frying.
Method:
Quarter marrow, peel and remove the soft centre and discard.
Wash and grate coarsely.
Place the grated marrow in a muslin cloth and squeeze out as much of the water as possible (save this juice to use in juices or to add to broth for risottos and soups)
Place the resulting ‘pulp’ in a bowl, add the spices EXCEPT the salt. Add the garlic and mix together, using your fingers
Add the sifted gram flour and mix it into the spiced marrow pulp. Add the coriander and remix.
Heat the oil in a wok (only use enough oil to cover a third of the wok and use the back burner) on medium to high heat. To test when hot enough, drop a very small amount of the mixture into the hot oil, it should rise within a second or two.
Just before frying add the salt and mix thoroughly. The salt will cause the juices from the grated marrow to ooze out and should be enough to bind the mixture. If not, add a very small amount of water.
Scoop the mixture into a dessertspoon using a teaspoon to make a ‘mound’ in the dessertspoon. Gently drop this ‘mound’ into the hot oil guiding the mixture as you drop it in so it drops as a ‘mound’ rather than spreads out. Depending on the diameter of your wok, drop a number of these mounds into the hot oil ensuring there is sufficient room to turn the fritters over in the oil readily.
Fry on medium to high heat. When the fritters rise in the oil, turn them over. Continue turning them over every so often until they are golden brown in colour on both sides.
Drain, remove from the oil and place on absorbent kitchen paper.
Repeat the process from No. 5 above until all the batter has been used.
Enjoy piping hot
Super Healthy Pinnis
Traditional pinnis are made with chapati or wholemeal flour and powdered milk. My super healthy version is packed full of goodness with buckwheat flour (gluten-free), cold milled flaxseeds high in Omega 3, coconut oil and coconut sugar, nuts (almonds, cashew and pistachios) and a seed mix including pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.
Makes 14
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 30 minute Total time: 45 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans and those on a gluten-free diet .
Serve as a snack with a cup of masala chai or as a sweet after a meal.
Super Healthy Pinnis
Ingredients:
125g buckwheat flour
125g cold milled flaxseed
65g coconut oil plus 1 teaspoon for frying the sultanas
10g desiccated coconut
25g each of almonds, sliced and cashew nuts, sliced
20g each of pistachios, sliced and mixed seeds (a mix of pumpkin, sunflower, sesame)
10g sultanas
For the syrup:
125g coconut sugar
75ml water
½ teaspoon of crushed cardamom seeds
Method:
Melt the coconut oil. Add the buckwheat flour and the desiccated coconut and stir to combine with the coconut oil. Mix thoroughly.
Allow the flour and coconut to cook on gentle heat (low to medium) stirring occasionally until the flour turns a light brown in colour and the aroma of cooked flour is evident (about 8 minutes).
Melt a teaspoon of coconut oil in a small frying pan, add the sultanas and turn up the heat to medium/high. Stir the sultanas and when they ‘puff’ up remove the pan from the heat and keep aside.
Add the flaxseed, stir and cook gently for a further 5 minutes.
Take the pan off the heat, add the nuts, seeds and sultanas and put aside.
Make the syrup: Mix the water, sugar and crushed cardamoms in a separate pan.
Dissolve the sugar, turn down the heat to simmering point.
Boil gently on medium (to high heat, more towards the medium setting), stirring occasionally until a syrup of 1 thread consistency forms (about 5 minutes).
To test consistency, place a drop of the syrup onto a plate and allow it to cool for 15 - 30 seconds. Scoop the drop with your fore finger and, using your thumb gently pull it about half to once centimetre away from the finger, a thread should form in-between. This is known as ‘thread consistency’. The mixture should form one thin ‘threads’
Once the syrup is ready take if off the heat and add the dry pinni mixture prepared earlier to the syrup and combine evenly.
Transfer the contents onto a plate and once cool enough to handle (a couple of minutes at most) make the pinnis.
Take 40g of the mixture at a time and knead it it in the palm of one hand using the fingers of the other hand to form a ball and keep aside. Repeat the process with the remaining mixture OR
To make a Healthy Barfi, place the mixture in a c. 7.5 inch square tin. Press down the mixture to cover the base evenly and cut into diamond shaped barfi’s. Allow to cool.
Garnish with sliced pistachios.
Serve as a snack with a cup of hot chai or as a dessert at the end of a meal. Store in an airtight container.
Cool Cucumber Soup
Lightly spiced and refreshing Cool Coriander Soup, just perfect for the long summer days and to use up the glut of the cucumber harvest for those growing them in their back yard or allotment.
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 40 - 45 minute Total time: 55 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten-free diet.
Serve with a slice of my favourite bread - Vegan Date & Nut Loaf
Ingredients:
30g butter or Vegan Block
1 medium onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 one inch piece of fresh ginger, grated finely
½ - 1 green chilli, roughly chopped
800g young cucumbers, peeled and sliced/chopped
1 litre vegan/vegetable stock
100g/ml thick coconut milk (the oriental canned variety)
a handful each of chopped parsley and coriander
juice of half a lemon
salt and ground black peppercorns to taste
Cool Cucumber Soup
Method:
Melt the butter or Vegan block in a large pan, add the onions and fry on gently on medium to low heat until onions are soft.
Add the garlic, ginger and chilli, stir and cook for a minute or so.
Add the cucumber. Stir to coat with the onions. Cover the pan with its lid and gently cook for 10 minutes stirring half way through the process.
Add the stock, bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the cucumber is cooked through and soft.
Add the chopped parsley and coriander, bring back to the boil.
Remove from the heat and blitz in a blender until smooth.
Return to the pan, add the coconut milk, salt ground peppercorns to taste, warm through on gentle heat until soup returns to almost boiling point. Add the lemon juice and remove form the heat.
Serve hot or cold with lightly toasted slices of my Vegan Date & Nut Loaf!
Khichri
Khichri is light, easy to digest and a nutritious dish so a perfect meal for when feeling poorly, for the elderly and babies alike. Serve with yoghurt.
Serves: 2 - 3
Preparation time: 5 minutes. Cooking time: 45 minute. Total: 50 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegan and those on a gluten free diet
NB: Do not keep/eat cooked rice dishes beyond the day after cooking. Try to cook only the amount that can consumed on the day it is cooked. Any leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge and eaten the next day.
Uncooked rice can carry a spore forming bacteria, Bacillus cereus. The spores survive the cooking process and can cause food poisoning. Cooked rice at room temperature allow the spores to proliferate producing toxins that cause vomiting or diarrhoea.
Khichri served with yoghurt
Ingredients:
50g butter/Vegan Block (vegan block for vegans)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
6 cloves
100g white Tilda Basmati rice
100g split green moong dal
1½ teaspoon of salt
1 medium green chilli, chopped finely
¼ teaspoon garam masala
500 ml water (cold, room temperature)
Yoghurt to serve (dairy free for vegans)
Method:
Wash the rice and dal several times until the water is no longer cloudy (4 - 5 times). Drain and put aside
Melt the butter/vegan block in a pan with a close fitting lid on medium heat. Add the cumin and cloves and fry until the cumin splutters.
Gently add the rice and dal being careful as any residual water in the rice will splutter as it hits the hot cumin oil in the pan.
Add the salt, chilli and garam masala. Stir to coat the rice with the oil and cumin.
On low to medium heat, let the excess water from the rice evaporate stirring lightly until the rice and dal start to glisten.
Add the water, stir and bring to the boil.
Once boiling, turn the heat right down to the very minimum, place the close fitting lid on the pan and let it simmer away very gently for about 40 - 45 minutes until all the water has been absorbed by the rice and dal.
The khichri should be light and fluffy with each single grain visible.
Serve hot with yoghurt
Strawberry, Hazelnut & Ginger Kulfi
Makes: 500ml unfrozen kulfi
Total preparation time: 20 minutes plus infusing and freezing time
Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans
The recipe below is for the Blueberry, Almond & Cardamom version.
Variations:
Follow the same recipe and method substituting flavours as below:
Blueberry, Almond & Cardamom - 160g blueberries, sliced, fresh; 20g almonds, sliced; 1 teaspoon finely crushed cardamoms.
Cherry, Pecan Nuts & Cinnamon - 200g cherries, fresh, pitted; 20g pecan nuts, crushed using a pestle and mortar; 1 teaspoon cinnamon
This recipe for kulfi is very quick and easy to make and as such ‘naughty but nice’. The traditional method of condensing whole milk is healthier (no cream needed) but extremely time consuming.
Tip: adjust flavours according to taste
Strawberry, Hazelnut & Ginger Kulfi
Ingredients (vegan version where different in brackets):
125ml whole milk (125ml almond milk)
½ (c. 198ml) small tin sweetened condensed milk (½ small tin vegan sweetened condensed milk)
160g strawberries, fresh, halved/quartered
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon coconut sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
150ml double cream (150ml Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat)
20g hazelnuts, sliced
Method (same for both versions):
Place the prepared berries, water and sugar in a small pan, cover and bring to simmering point on low to medium heat.
Turn the heat down and simmer gently for 5 - 10 minutes with the lid on the pan until the berries have softened. Mash with a potato masher.
Pass the softened berries through a sieve retrieving as much fruit flesh as possible. Stir in the ground ginger, allow to cool. Cover and place in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Pour the milk and condensed milk into another small pan and bring to a slow simmer on low to medium heat.
Take off the heat and allow to cool.
Once cooled, pour the milk/condensed milk mixture into a medium to large bowl, add the berry pulp and cream, combine with a metal spoon and then whisk for a few minutes to aerate.
Fold in the sliced hazelnuts and pour into ice cream moulds/dariole moulds up to about half a centimetre from the top of the moulds.
Freeze for at least six hours, preferably overnight. Cover the dariole moulds with foil before putting in the freezer.
To serve, remove from the freezer and allow the mould stand for a few minutes at room temperature and/or run mould under warm water to separate the kulfi from the mould. Enjoy!
Mushroom & Sweet Potato Soup
Shiitake mushrooms contain the highest level of natural copper, a mineral that supports our bones, immune system and blood vessels. Shiitake mushrooms are also a valuable source of selenium, beta-glucans and a compound that lowers cholesterol
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 40 minute Total time: 55 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten free diet.
Serve with a slice of my favourite bread - Vegan Date & Nut Loaf
Mushroom & Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients:
80g butter or Vegan Block
2 medium onions, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ green chilli, roughly chopped
500g mushrooms, wiped and sliced (I used shiitake mushrooms)
1 medium sweet potato (200g prepared weight), peeled and diced finely
1.1 litre vegan/vegetable stock
salt and ground black peppercorns to taste
Method:
Melt the butter or Vegan block in a large pan, add the onions and fry on gently on medium to low heat until onions are soft.
Add the garlic and chilli, stir and cook for a minute or so.
Add the diced sweet potato. Stir to coat with the onions. Cover the pan with its lid and gently cook for 10 minutes stirring half way through the process.
Add the mushroom, turn up the heat and fry for a few minutes until the mushrooms have ‘wilted” down and combined with the onions and sweet potatoes
Add the stock, bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer gently for 10 - 15 minutes until the sweet potatoes are cooked through and soft.
Remove from the heat and blitz in a blender until smooth.
Return to the pan, add salt ground peppercorns to taste, warm through on gentle heat until soup returns to almost boiling point.
Serve piping hot with lightly toasted slices of my Vegan Date & Nut Loaf!
Root Vegetables, Celery & Spinach Soup
Excellent soup for bone health and tastes good too!
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 35 minute Total time: 50 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten free diet.
Serve with a slice of my favourite bread - Vegan Date & Nut Loaf
Root vegetables, Celery & Spinach Soup served with lightly toasted slices of my Vegan Date & Nut Loaf
Ingredients:
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, peeled, quartered and sliced finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ green chilli, roughly chopped
¾ teaspoon salt
400g destalked spinach (I used young spinach, mustard, kale leaves from my garden), washed and chopped roughly OR 400g of frozen spinach, defrosted
1 medium sweet potato (150g prepared weight), peeled and diced finely
1 medium/large parsnip (150g prepared weight), peeled and diced finely
1 large carrot (150g prepared weight), scrubbed and diced finely
small fennel (75g prepared weight), prepared and sliced finely
3 celery stalks (150g), washed and sliced finely
1.1 litre vegan/vegetable stock
Juice of ½ - 1 lime according to taste
Ground black peppercorns to taste
Method:
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onions and fry on gently heat until onions are soft.
Add the garlic and chilli, stir and cook for a minute or so.
Add the vegetables except the spinach. Stir to coat with the onions. Cover the pan with its lid and gently cook for 10 minutes stirring half way through the process.
Add the salt, stir, then add the spinach. Stir through to combine with the vegetables.
Add the stock, bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the root vegetables are cooked through and soft.
Remove from the heat and blitz in a blender until smooth.
Return to the pan, add ground peppercorns and lime juice, warm through on gentle heat until soup returns to almost boiling point.
Serve piping hot with lightly toasted slices of my Vegan Date & Nut Loaf!
Elderflower & Almond Cake (gluten-free and vegan)
Serves: 10 - 12 slices
Prep: 15 minutes. Bake: 18 minutes for sandwich cake/40 minutes for drizzle cake
Suitable for: those on a vegan and gluten-free diet
A delicious vegan and gluten free fragrant cake - two versions either sandwich as shown in photo below or loaf with elderflower cordial drizzle
Elderflower & Almond Sandwich Cake using home-made Elderflower Cordial
Ingredients:
‘Dry Ingredients’
175g gluten-free self raising flour, sifted
25g teff flour, sifted (can use chickpea flour instead)
1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder, sifted
⅛ teaspoon of xanthan gum, sifted
115g ground almonds
70g coconut sugar
200ml elderflower cordial, home-made
75ml rapeseed oil
Oil for greasing a loaf tin/sandwich tins
Icing sugar for dusting, optional
Elderflower Drizzle:
100g icing sugar, sifted
6 teaspoons of elderflower cordial, more or less depending on consistency of the drizzle.
Elderflower Buttercream
55g vegan butter, room temperature (I used Naturli Vegan Block)
110g icing sugar, sifted
1 - 2 tablespoons of elderflower cordial
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 6.
Grease and line with greaseproof paper either a 1lb/450g loaf tin or two 7½inch/19cm sandwich tins.
Weigh out all the dry ingredients except for the sugar in a bowl and combine to mix through.
Pour the oil and the cordial in a large bowl, add the sugar and stir through
Add half the dry ingredients and stir with a metal spoon to combine. Add the remaining dry ingredients, first stir with a metal spoon and then gently whisk until fully combined and no lumps remain.
Pour the cake mixture into the greased and lined loaf tin or two sandwich tins and spread evenly using a spatula
Place in the oven. Bake the sandwich tins for 18 minutes and the loaf tin for 40 minutes until browned and baked through (check by passing a skewer through the centre of the cakes and it will come out clean if baked).
Remove from the oven. As soon as the tin(s) is/are cool enough to handle remove the cake and cool on a wire rack.
In the meantime, make the elderflower drizzle or butter cream (or both if you prefer to drizzle the sandwich cake too).
For the elderflower drizzle combine the cordial with icing sugar until fully blended, smooth and of a pouring consistency.
Beat the butter and icing sugar together until smooth. Add the cordial and beat through.
Once the cake is cool, drizzle the elderflower drizzle over the top of the loaf cake and allow drizzle to set.
Sandwich Cake - once the sponges have cooled, spread the elderflower cream evenly over one half of the cake and place the other half on top. Either drizzle elderflower drizzle over the top or dust with icing sugar.
Slice, serve and enjoy.
Passionfruit and Ginger Kulfi (vegan and non-vegan versions)
Makes: depends on size of ice cream mould. I used lollipop type moulds for the non-vegan version and made 11 and 100ml dariole moulds for the vegan version and made 5.
Total preparation time: 20 minutes plus infusing and freezing time
Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans
This recipe for kulfi is very quick and easy to make and as such ‘naughty but nice’. The traditional method of condensing whole milk is healthier (no cream needed) but extremely time consuming.
Passion Fruit Ice Cream
Ingredients (vegan version where different in brackets):
125ml whole milk (125ml almond milk)
½ (c. 198ml) small tin sweetened condensed milk (½ small tin vegan sweetened condensed milk)
3 teaspoons of finely ginger powder
90 - 100ml passionfruit pulp, strained to remove seeds
150ml double cream (150ml Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat)
Method (same for both versions):
Pour the milk and condensed milk into a small pan and bring to a slow simmer on low to medium heat.
Add the ginger powder and simmer very gently for a few minutes. Take off the heat and leave to stand at room temperature for half an hour or so.
Add the passionfruit pulp and cream, combine with a metal spoon. Whisk for a few minutes to aerate.
Pour into ice cream moulds/dariole moulds up to about half a centimetre from the top of the moulds. Freeze for at least six hours, preferably overnight. Where the moulds have no lids, cover them with foil before putting in the freezer.
Enjoy! Let the mould stand for a few minutes at room temperature and/or run mould under warm water to separate the kulfi from the mould.
Elderflower Cordial - Three Flavours (Lemon, Citrus and Pineapple)
Elderflowers finally in full bloom so I tried my hand at three different flavours, the original lemon, combination of lemon, lime and orange and pineapple.
Preparation time: 25 minutes (over two days) Cooking time: 15 minutes. Steeping time: 24 hours Total time: (preparation and cooking): 40 minutes
Makes: c. 1.4 litres
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten free diet.
Dilute 1:3 or 1:4 depending on taste with carbonated or non-carbonated cold water
Ingredients (per flavour):
10 large elderflower heads (about 100g of smaller flower heads - see recipe)
20g citric acido
1 litre of water
500g granuluated sugar
Flavours:
Lemon: 1 unwaxed lemon, grated rind and juice, discard the pith.
Citrus: 1 each of unwaxed lemon and lime and 2 oranges, grated rinds and juices. Discard the pith.
Pineapple: small sweet pineapple c. 40g flesh, chopped into small chunks.
Method:
Collection and preparation of elderflowers:
Collect the elderflowers early on a dry day and use them as soon as possible. Place the stems of elderflowers in cold water until ready to use.
When ready to use:
Shake the elderflower heads lightly to remove any insects
Dunk the heads in a bowl of cold water for a split second just to remove any remaining ‘debris’.
Pinch out the smaller flower heads from the large ‘parent’ one and discard the thicker stalks. Place in a large bowl together with the flavour(s) of choice.
Place the water and citric acid in a separate pan and bring to the boil on medium to high heat. Take off heat and pour over the elderflowers, cover and let it steep for 24 hours.
Sterilising bottles (sterilise when you start the final process):
Heat the oven to 140°C/275°F/Gas Mark 1
Thoroughly wash the bottles, jug and caps with hot soapy water, drain and drip dry
Place the bottles and pyrex jug in the oven for 10 minutes to sterilise
Sterilise the caps in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Putting it all together:
After 24 hours, line a large sieve with a clean muslin cloth over a large pan and strain the elderflower infused water.
Collect the corners of the muslin to bring them together and using clean hands press any remaining juice out of the muslin.
Place on medium to high heat, add the sugar and stir until all the sugar has dissolved and the liquid reaches boiling point. Turn down the heat and simmer for five minutes.
Turn off heat. Remove the oven rack on which the bottles and jug have been sterilising and place a wooden board (I place it on the wire rack I cool my bread/cakes on). Be very careful.
Drain the caps and place on the hot over rack until needed.
Using oven gloves (one for the handle of the jug and another for the hot bottle) carefully pour the cordial into the bottles whilst still hot.
Cap and allow to cool, refrigerate and enjoy with ice!
Kale Soup
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 35 minute Total time: 50 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten free diet.
Serve with a slice of my Vegan Date & Nut Loaf
Kale Soup with slices of Vegan Date & Nut Loaf
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ green chilli, roughly chopped
150g destalked kale, washed and chopped roughly
2 medium potatoes (c. 200g), peeled and diced
750ml vegan/vegetable stock
250ml whole milk (125ml almond milk for vegan version)
salt/pepper to taste
Method:
Heat the oil, add the onions and potatoes and coat with the oil.
Cover the pan and saute the onions and potatoes on gentle heat for 10 minutes stirring half way through the process.
Add the kale and stir through for a minute or so.
Add the stock, bring to the boil, cover the pan and simmer gently for 10 - 15 minutes until the kale is cooked and potatoes are soft.
Pour in the milk and bring back to simmering point.
Take off the heat and blitz in a blender.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Vegan Masala Chai
Makes: 2 mugs of tea
Time: 5 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten free diet
Vegan Masala Chai shown here with a slice of Lime Drizzle Mango & Cardamom Cake
Ingredients:
350ml water
200ml oat milk, barista version
½ teaspoon chai masala (my favourite blend is Niharti Chai Masala)
2 teaspoons coconut sugar
1 bag of your favourite tea
Method:
Place all of the ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down to a point where the tea is at a ‘rolling’ boiling point and boil for a few minutes depending.
Pour into mugs and enjoy alone or with any snack.
Broccoli Fritters
Makes 20
Preparation time: 15 minutes. Frying time: 20 minutes. Total time: 35 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians, Vegans and those on a gluten free diet
Broccoli fritters with a hot cup of Vegan Masala Chai
Ingredients:
100g broccoli head, cut the florets from the head of the broccoli - about ½ inch wide and 1 - 1½ long. Rinse and shake off as much residual water as possible. Place on absorbent kitchen paper until ready to use.
For the batter:
150g gram flour
150ml cold water
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 green chillies, chopped finely
1½ level teaspoons of salt
¼ teaspoon of turmeric
¼ teaspoon of garam masala
1 finely sliced spring onion, including the green parts (optional)
Method:
Make the Batter:
Sieve the gram flour into a bowl
Add the water and whisk to form a smooth thick batter
Add the garlic, chillies, turmeric, salt and garam masala and mix thoroughly.
Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
Frying the fritters:
Place the oil in a karai or wok/deep fat fryer no more than one third full. Heat on medium to high heat. Test the oil to see if hot enough to fry by placing a drop of the batter into the oil. If the ball of batter rises within a second or two, the oil is hot enough.
Re-whisk the batter.
Dip each individual broccoli floret in the batter to coat thoroughly and gently place into the hot oil. The number of florets in the karai at any one time will depend on the size of the karai. Make sure there is enough room between the fritters to be able to turn them over in the oil whilst frying without breaking them.
When the fritters rise to the surface, gently turn them over. Continue turning them over every so often until they are evenly golden and crisp on both sides. Gently remove from the oil, draining any excess oil back in the karai and place on a plate lined with absorbent kitchen paper.
Repeat process from No. 3 above until all the florets have been fried
Serve with your favourite chutney.
Courgette & Potato Curry
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 45 minute.
Suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten free diet.
Serve with rotis or paranthas and plain boiled wholegrain rice
Courgette & Potato Curry with Plain Boiled Wholegrain Rice
Ingredients:
Tarka
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil or ghee
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
4 cloves
2 small/medium sized onions (c. 150g), sliced thinly
200g tinned tomatoes or 3 medium tomatoes - skinned and chopped roughly
1½ - 2 green chillies, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 level teaspoons of salt
½ - ¾ level teaspoon of turmeric (use the higher amount if using fresh tomatoes)
¼ - ½ level teaspoon of garam masala
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and grated finely
Courgettes & Potato
300g courgettes, peel, slice in half vertically and then slice each half finely horizontally (half moon shape, a couple of mm thick)
300g waxy potatoes (I use new potatoes or Charlottes), peeled, cut in half inch cubes and rinsed to remove the starch
550ml water, approximately
4 bayleaves (fresh or dried), optional
Handful of chopped coriander.
Method:
Heat the oil on medium heat until fairly hot. Add the cumin seeds and cloves and stir until they splutter (virtually immediately)
Turn the heat down to low/medium, add the onions and fry gently stirring occasionally until they soften.
Add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric, chillies, garlic, ginger stir. Continue to cook gently, ‘mashing’ the tomatoes until a paste like consistency forms. I use a potato masher.
Add the garam masala, stir and cook for a further minute or so or until oil oozes out of the paste when a wooden spoon is dragged along the base of the pan
Add the sliced courgettes to the tarka and stir to combine. Place the lid on the pan and cook gently for about five minutes stirring occasionally.
Add the potatoes, stir to combine, and cook for a further five minutes with the lid on the pan.
Add the water. Bring to the boil. Add the bayleaves.
Turn down the heat to low/medium and bring back to simmering point. Place the lid on the pan and simmer gently for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
Remove the bayleaves.
Add the chopped coriander. Bring back to the boil on gentle heat, simmer for a minute or so.
Take off the heat
Serve piping hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves.
Gluten-free Thin Crust Pizza
Makes: 2 11”/28cm pizzas
Preparation time: Total preparation and baking time - 50 - 60 minutes
dough making - 10 minutes plus resting time of at least two hours.
vegetables - 10 minutes plus roasting time of 15 - 20 minutes
rolling dough - 5 minutes
baking minutes - 30 minutes (to include blind baking)
Suitable for: Vegetarians and those on a gluten-free diet
Gluten-free pizza
Ingredients:
Dough:
250g gluten-free pizza flour (I used Eurostar Food Della Terra Gluten-free Pizza flour)
240ml warm water
5g of instant yeast (I used Allinsons Yeast Easy Bake)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
7g salt
Topping: Use whatever combination of vegetable you prefer. I used the following:
200g courgettes, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
150g sweetcorn, tinned (drained) or frozen (thawed)
300g shiitake mushrooms, wiped and sliced
2 small red onions, sliced
1 green chilli, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil plus extra for brushing over the blind baked pizza base and for sauteing the mushrooms
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil plus some for brushing on the blind baked pizza bases
400g tin of pizza sauce (I used Mutti Pizza sauce)
Method:
Sift the flour and the salt into a bowl, Stir to blend. Add the oil and rub into the flour/salt mixture.
Add a small amount of warm water to the dried yeast and blend to make a runny paste. Add c. 200ml of the remaining water to the yeast paste and stir to combine fully without it going lumpy.
Add the yeast water to the flour and mix to form a firm dough adding more of the remaining warm water as needed.
Knead the dough for a few minutes. Place back in the bowl (if you used a work surface to knead the dough), and cover with clingfilm.
Rest the dough at room temperature for at least two hours until it doubles in size. If the dough is not going to be used straight away, it can be stored in the fridge (in the clingfilm covered bowl) until needed.
Once the dough has doubled in size, preheat the oven to 180°C-200°C/375°F/Gas Mark 6.
Knead it again for a couple of minutes, then divide it into two equal portions.
Roll out each portion to approximately 11 inch/28 cm diameter and place in a perforated pizza trays.
Prick the surface of the bases with a fork and place in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes until the edges start to turn up an turn very slightly brown.
Whilst the bases are being blind baked (as in No. 9 above) place all the vegetables except for the mushrooms and sweetcorn in a bowl, add the oil and combine. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, mix this through the vegetables.
Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes (same temperature as for the bases) turning them over half way through.
Place a small amount of olive oil in a pan and saute the mushrooms. When almost done, add the sweetcorn and allow to cook through.
Combine the roasted and sauteed vegetables together once cooked and keep aside.
Putting it all together:
Brush all of the top side of the pizza bases (including the edges) lightly with vegetable oil.
Spread 200g (half the tin) of the pizza sauce evenly over each base.
Spread the vegetable evenly over the pizza sauce, then arrange the slices of mozzarella cheese over the top.
Bake in the oven for c. 15 minutes.
Remove and enjoy!
Mango & Cardamom Kulfi (vegan and non-vegan versions)
Makes: depends on size of ice cream mould. I used lollipop type moulds for the non-vegan version and made 11 and 100ml dariole moulds for the vegan version and made 5.
Total preparation time: 20 minutes plus infusing and freezing time
Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans
This recipe for kulfi is very quick and easy to make and as such ‘naughty but nice’. The traditional method of condensing whole milk is healthier (no cream needed) but extremely time consuming.
Tip: for a fruitier flavour add more mango pulp
Mango Kulfi. Non-vegan version - the pink ice-cream mould. Vegan - dariole mould with pistachio nuts on top
Ingredients (vegan version where different in brackets):
125ml whole milk (125ml almond milk)
½ (c. 198ml) small tin sweetened condensed milk (½ small tin vegan sweetened condensed milk)
1 teaspoon of finely crushed cardamoms
100ml mango pulp (tinned)
150ml double cream (150ml Oatly Whippable Creamy Oat)
20g pistachio nuts, chopped
Method (same for both versions):
Warm the milk, stir the crushed cardamoms and allow to cool. Cover the pan and set aside for about an hour to allow the cardamom flavours to infuse.
Pour the mango pulp, milk/cardamom infusion, cream and condensed milk into a bowl, combine with a metal spoon and then whisk for a few minutes to ensure fully blended and to aerate.
Fold in the crushed pistachio nuts and pour into ice cream moulds/dariole moulds up to about half a centimetre from the top of the moulds. Freeze for at least six hours, preferably overnight. Where the moulds have no lids, cover them with foil before putting in the freezer.
Enjoy! Let the mould stand for a few minutes at room temperature and/or run mould under warm water to separate the kulfi from the mould.
Spicy Mushy Pea Pooris & Paranthas (gluten-free option for the paranthas)
Makes: 12 pooris or 8 paranthas
Preparation time: 15 minutes.
Rolling out/frying time: approx. 30 minutes
Pooris suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans
Paranthas suitable for: Vegetarians, vegans and those on a gluten-free diet)
Serve piping hot with any pickle, yoghurt and a curry of your choice.
Ingredients:
Pea Filling:
100g of frozen peas (defrosted)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 clove garlic, crushed
1½ - 2 green chillies roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon garam masala
Dough:
200g chapati flour (the paranthas can be made with gluten-free chapati flour from Eurostar Foods)
60 -80ml water
Extra chapati flour for dusting
Vegetable oil for deep fat frying (pooris) or ghee or oil for frying the paranthas
Method:
Pea Filling:
Heat the oil in a small frying pan then add the cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.
add the garlic and chillies, swirl to combine and cook or low to medium heat for a minute.
Add all the dry spices, combine and allow to cook for a further minute.
Add the thawed peas, combine and allow them to heat through for about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
Once cool, blitz in a blender to make a ‘mushy’ pea like mixture.
Dough:
With the flour in a bowl add the spicy mushy pea mixture.
Combine together and mix with the fingertips until a crumb like mixture forms.
Add the water gradually and combine to form a medium to firm dough.
Knead the dough for a couple of minutes and set aside until ready to make the pooris or paranthas or both.
Pooris:
Place the oil in a karahi/deep fat fryer heat at medium to high heat (closer to medium heat)
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and form 12 individual dough balls.
Using one portion roll it out into a circle approximately 4.5 - 5 inches in diameter. This will be quite thin.
Test the oil is hot enough for frying by dropping a very small piece of dough (size of a matchstick head) into the oil. If it rises immediately the oil is ready.
Slide the rolled out poori gently into the oil and let it rise.
As it begins to rise, gently pat it with the back of a slotted skimmer until the poori starts to puff up and then pat gently on the parts that begin to puff up.
Once the poori has puffed up turn it over, pressing gently on the cooked side so as to cook the underneath including its’ circumference for a couple of minutes.
Turn the poori back over so its original side is now back in the oil, press gently and fry for a further minute or so. Remove from the oil, drain and place on an absorbent kitchen towel lined plate or tray.
Repeat points 2 and then from 4 - 7 above until all the pooris have been made.
Serve hot.
Paranthas:
Place the tawa or frying pan on the hob and heat on a medium to hot setting
Knead the dough once again for a couple of minutes then divide into eight portions.
Starting with one portion, knead this again using your hands to form a ball and then flatten slightly with your fingertips.
Dust each side and roll out into a circular parantha approximately 6 inches in diameter using additional flour to dust where needed
Place the parantha on the hot tawa and allow it to cook partially on one side for a couple of minutes. Turn the parantha over and allow this (raw) side to cook for a few minutes checking a couple of times and pressing lightly around the edges if needed to ensure this side is fully cooked.
Turn the parantha back over once this side is fully cooked and coat the cooked side of the parantha with some ghee (c. ¼ teaspoon) or vegetable oil. Turn the parantha over once again and repeat the ghee/oil coating process on this other side. Turn over once more and gently cook for a further 30 seconds or so. The parantha should be crisp on both sides yet soft in the middle
Remove from the tawa and place the parantha in-between a folded clean tea towel on a warm plate.
Repeat steps 3 to 7 until all paranthas have been made.
Serve hot
Poori
Makes: 6 poori
Preparation time: 10 minutes.
Rolling out/frying time: approx. 30 minutes
Suitable for: Vegetarians and vegans
Serve piping hot with any pickle, yoghurt and a curry of your choice.
Poori shown here with yoghurt and lime pickle
Ingredients:
100g chapati flour
½ tablespoon of vegetable oil
pinch of salt
40ml warm water
Extra chapati flour for dusting
Vegetable oil for deep fat frying
Method:
Place the flour, salt and oil into a bowl. Mix together until mixture forms very light breadcrumbs.
Add the water gradually and combine to form a medium to firm dough.
Knead the dough for a few minutes until well combined.
Place the oil in a karahi/deep fat fryer heat at medium to high heat (closer to medium heat)
Divide the dough into five equal portions and form five individual dough balls.
Using one portion roll it out into a circle approximately 4.5 - 5 inches in diameter
Test the oil is hot enough for frying by dropping a very small piece of dough (size of a matchstick head) into the oil. If it rises immediately the oil is ready.
Slide the rolled out poori gently into the oil and let it rise.
As it begins to rise, gently pat it with the back of a slotted skimmer until the poori starts to puff up and then pat gently on the parts that begin to puff up.
Once the poori has puffed up turn it over, pressing gently on the cooked side so as to cook the underneath including its’ circumference for a couple of minutes.
Turn the poori back over so its original side is now back in the oil, press gently and fry for a further minute or so. Remove from the oil, drain and place on an absorbent kitchen towel lined plate or tray.
Repeat points 6 and then from 8 - 11 above until all the pooris have been made.
Serve hot