Easy Daal

This is a nice quick recipe, very fullfilling and it keeps well in the fridge for a good few days.
- Rinse 1 handful of channa daal and 1 handful of urid daal under the cold tap
- Tip into the pressure cook and fill 1/3 with water
- Cook on medium gas for about 20mins
- In the mean time fry in a large pan 1 chopped onion with 5 cloves chopped garlic, 1 knob sliced ginger, 2 sliced chillies and 2 tsp salt
- When golden add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp garam masala and cook for a further 2 mins. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato puree
- Put the pressure cooker in the sink and run the cold tap on it for a minute
- When cool open and test the daal - if soft enough add the daal and a little of the liquid to the onions and spices (if not return to the heat for another 5 mins)
- Stir the daal and add more liquid until desired consistency is reached.
- I add about 2/3 of the total liquid
-Test for seasoning and add a handful of chopped coriander

Pad Thai

A very tasty dish if I do say so myself!

- Soak one nest of flat rice noodles in a bowl of boiling water
- Defrost 6 veggie shrimp in the microwave
- Chop 5 garlic cloves, 2 chillies, a knob of ginger, half a green pepper, half a red onion and slice about 6 mushrooms- Fry all of the above for about 8 mins
- Slice and add the defrosted shrimp and cook for 2 mins
- Add a good splash of soya sauce, shaoshing rice wine, a squueze of lime juice and 1 tsp sugar
- Drain and add rice noodles and stire
-Taste for seasoning and sitr in a handful of chopped coriander

Chickpea Cakes

I started with Vegan Dad's recipe and ended up modifying it quite a bit based on what I had at home. I absolutely adore his recipes! They are always tasty and pretty - not always the easiest with veggie food.

- Dice and fry half a white onion with half a green pepper for 5minutes
- Drain and rinse 1 can of chick peas and blitz until broken down but still lumpy in a food processor. Add the onion mix and blitz once more
- Transfer to a bowl and add: 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp cornflour, 2 tbsp regular flour, a squeeze of lime juice, 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander and 1 tbsp garlic chilli sauce
- Mix really well and put in the fridge for 20min
- Make 10 patties from this mix and shallow fry in 2 batches turning half way until golden
- Serve with a salad made from 3 chopped tomatoes, handful of coriander, 1/4 chopped onion and 1 sliced avocado. Dress the salad with a splash of olive oil, lime juice and salt

Winey and creamy halloumi penne

This is dish is one of my husband's favourites and we often have it on special occasions - I thoroughly recommend you try it. For some reason despite a relatively standard ingredient list the result is exceptional! Serves 4 people generously.

- Cube and shallow fry a 225g packet halloumi. Remove from the pan to a bowl
- Chop 1 large red onion and 1 red pepper and fry in olive oil until soft and slightly brown
- Chop and add 5 garlic cloves to the vegetable mixture
- Boil the kettle twice and add water to a large pan with some olive oil
- Add 500g dried penne to the boiling water and cook until done - al dente works best with this dish. The pasta will probably be done just as you finish the sauce but keep an eye on it
- Grind in a pestle and mortar 1.5 tsp mixed peppercorns and add 1.5 tsp dried chilli flakes. Add this to the pan and fry for a few mins
- Measure out and then add 150ml red wine and 200ml double cream to the vegetables, allow to come to the boil gently and then simmer for a couple of minutes
- Microwave a 250g bag of baby spinach according to instructions and add this to the pan
- Drain and cut into strips a small jar of mixed roasted peppers and add to the sauce
- Add the prepared halloumi, stir sauce and adjust for seasoning
- Drain the pasta well, mix pasta and sauce together and serve!

Thai mushroom soup

- Fry 1 finely chopped leek with 2 inches sliced ginger
- Add 1 pack of defrosted mock chicken strips and fry till brown
- Add 8 thinly sliced mushrroms and cook for a further 5 mins
- Add 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp kejap manis (sweet Indonesian soy sauce), 1/2 tsp sugar and a good sprinkle of chilli flakes- Add 1 tin coconut milk, refill half the can with water and add this.
- Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer
- Turn off heat, add juice of half a lime and a good bunch chopped coriander
- Taste and adjust for seasoning

Mock Chicken Curry

For me there is nothing like a good chicken curry on a Friday night! Try this…it's my new favourite. Also nice served with a tomato, red onion and coriander salad.

- In a food processor blitz 2 white onions, 5 cloves garlic, a big lump of ginger and 3 green chillies
- Fry this mixture in some oil for about 10mins whilst stirring
- Add 1 pack of defrosted mock chicken strips and fry till brown
- Add 1 tsp tikka masala paste, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp ground coriander and 1 tsp salt
- Blitz 3 tomatoes in the food processor and add these along with a squirt of tomato puree. Stir well and cook for 5mins
- Add a can of coconut milk, refill half the can with water and add this.
- Bring to the boil then simmer for 10mins and serve with chappatis/rice as you please.

Chocolate Pie

I made this for my husband on Valentines and it went down very well!!

- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius
- Wipe a little oil around a 10 inch round pie dish with removal base
- In a food processor blitz 12 chocolate digestive biscuits, add 2 tbsp melted butter and 1 tbsp water while it mixes
- Press this into the pie dish and bake for 10mins
- In a small bowl add 1 tbsp agar flakes to 1/3 cup water and stir until dissolved
- In a saucepan mix 2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/8 tsp salt. Add 1.5 cups milk and whisk on low heat. Add 1.5 cups more milk and turn the heat to medium, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens and just comes to a boil (10mins)
- Remove from heat, add 2 oz dark chopped chocolate and 2 tsp vanilla extract and stir until the chocolate melts in
- Pour into the crust, leave in the fridge for 3 hours and decorate with a handful of strawberries

Chickpea chilli with mashed potatoes and sweet peppers

This meal is not conventional but satisfies all my - it's Saturday night and I want something warm, filling, tasty, salty and spicy cravings!

- Empty 1 pack frozen soya mince in a bowl and microwave for 4mins
- Meanwhile dice 3 carrots, 5 garlic cloves and 1 big red onion
- Fry the vegetables in olive oil for 10 mins on low heat then add the garlic
- Add 1 tsp italian herb seasoning, 1 tsp dried chilli flakes, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp mixed spice and 1 tsp salt
- Bltiz a can of chopped tomatoes and add this along with half the can water and 1 tbsp tomato puree
- Bring to the boil then simmer until the sauce is thick (about 15mins)
- Drain 1 tin chickpeas and stir in for the last 5 mins of cooking
- Peel, roughly chop and boil 6 medium sized King Edward potatoes
- Drain and mash with butter, a little milk, salt and pepper
- Serve with 2 or 3 pieces of roasted sweet peppers from one of those lovely Spanish jars

 

My absolute favourite stirfry

This stirfry is beyond simple but such a tasty quick dinner that I make at least once every couple weeks. Sometimes I had strips of fried mock chicken as well.

- Slice 2 carrots, 1/3 head of brocolli and 6 shitake mushrooms
- Chop 2 cloves garlic and 1 red chilli
- Fry the garlic and chilli in ground nut oil for 2 mins, add the vegetables and 1 tablespoon water
- Stir fry on medium-high heat until the veg is the consistency you enjoy (for me about 5mins cooking does the job)
- Add 3 tbsp veggie oyster sauce and 1 tsp soya sauce, stir for 1 min on high heat and serve

Grape and lychee bubble tea

Chinese restaurants often serve this lovely drink called bubble tea. It comes in many flavours and is basically a juice drink with sweet tapioca pearls that sink to the bottom.

- Boil 10 cups of water in a saucepan
- Add 1 cup tapioca pearls
- Boil until the pearls have expanded
- Turn the heat down, put a lid on and simmer for 10mins
- Meanwhile put ice in 4 tall glasses
- Chop into quarters 1 large tin of lychees reserving the juice
- Split the lychees, pearls and lychee juice evenly between the 4 glasses
- Top up each glass with red grape juice and stir