July 16, 2024 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments
Fast, furious & fresh, Sri Lankan-style vege curries take mere minutes to cook. Ingredients hit thin, metal saucepans in quick succession and are brought up to a Vesuvius-level boil, only to come out tasting surprisingly heavenly & delicate about 15 minutes later. Serves 4
5 Tab rapeseed oil (a neutral oil or if not, extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil)
20 fresh curry leaves* or frozen ones
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds or half tsp. m.powder/sautéed parsnips (same smokiness & flavour!)
1 med brown onion, peeled & finely diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled & sliced paper-thin
2 green finger chillies, stalks discarded, flesh sliced lengthways
500g courgettes, halved lengthwise & cut into irregular pieces
1 tsp ground turmeric
1½ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
800g tinned coconut milk (ie 2 standard tins)
800g tinned cannellini beans (ie 2 standard tins), drained and rinsed
40g fresh coriander, leaves & tender stems, sliced
Juice of ½ lemon or to taste
Steamed basmati rice, to serve
1. Put the oil in a pan on the biggest burner and on the highest heat. When it’s very hot, add the curry leaves, cumin & mustard seeds. Stir then quickly add onion, garlic, chillies & courgettes. Cook for 2 mins to char courgettes. Stir again and leave to cook another 2 mins.
2. Add turmeric, salt & pepper and leave to cook and catch for a further 4 mins.
Tip in coconut milk & beans. Cook, still on a fast boil, for another 5 mins until courgettes are tender getting soft. Stir in coriander then add the lemon juice teaspoon by teaspoon, until the curry sauce tastes just right to you. Serve at once with steamed basmati rice.
July 15, 2024 / Lyn Jones / 0 Comments
A fuss-free meal of fritters with pickles and a change from zucchini.
¼ pumpkin (approx 900g), grated, reserving ⅓ for the quickle
1 Spanish onion, reserving ¼ for the quickle
1 cup (110g) chickpea (besan) flour
1 tsp BP
2 tsp paprika
1½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt flakes, plus extra for sprinkling
3 Tab olive oil
For the quickled pumpkin
Remaining pumpkin (approx 300g), grated
Remaining ¼ onion, thinly sliced into half-moons with the grain
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 Tab honey
¼ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp salt flakes
For the spiced chickpea couscous
1 cup (200g) couscous
1 tin (400g) chickpeas, drained & rinsed
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp coriander
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cracked pepper
¼ bunch of mint, saving ¼ cup leaves for garnish
For the final bits and bobs
½ cups coconut yoghurt (or regular yoghurt, if you’re not veganising)
½ tsp sweet paprika
Reserved mint leaves
1. Coarse grate pumpkin with grater or food processor with coarsest blades. Weigh out 600g of the pumpkin & pop into a colander with a bowl underneath. Put the remainder into a medium heatproof bowl with a quarter of the sliced onion and reserve for the quickled pumpkin.
2. In a small saucepan combine vinegar, honey, cumin seeds & salt. Bring to a gentle boil & pour over the pumpkin & onion mix. Let the lot sit together in their honey hot tub until ready to serve.
3. Boil 1 litre water & pour over pumpkin in the colander. Drain, reserving the water, and into a medium bowl with 3/4 of a finely sliced (or grated) onion. Place couscous in a heatproof bowl with 2 cups of the reserved hot pumpkin water. Rest a plate over the top & let sit at least 10 mins.
4. Scatter or sift chickpea flour over the pumpkin mixture, rubbing it through your fingers to eliminate any lumps. Sprinkle in the BP, spices & salt. Stir tog with a spatula til well incorporated. Let it sit for five minutes. (Add 1 Tab pumpkin water to add more gloop (wetter is better here –
it should look & feel like chunky frittata batter. If too runny, sprinkle in another Tab chickpea flour).
5. Heat 2 Tabs of oil in a nonstick pan. Once it starts to shimmer, add heaped Tabs of pumpkin mix into the pan in a clockwise arrangement so you can remember which needs flipping first.
6. Fluff up couscous with a fork, then add in the pumpkin pickle & juices, sauteed chickpeas, olive oil, salt & pepper. Mix well, adjust seasoning. Stir the mint leaves through just before serving.
Serve with yoghurt, an extra pinch of paprika and extra mint leaves for garnish.
NOTES:
– You can also serve with a big rocket salad or some rice – even some pumpkin puree if you’re game on a triple threat – instead of couscous.
-Mint is my preference for soft herb here, but you can also use fresh coriander or dill, or some baby spinach or rocket for a touch of green.
– Once you get the hang of these, you can make a bigger batch and freeze – then they’re ready for defrosting overnight so you can grab a couple to go in the mornings, or for a quick & easy dinner.
– The fritters will last in the fridge for five days or in the freezer for three months.