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BLACK BEAN NOODLES WITH BLACK EYE PEA CASSOLET + CHINESE GREENS

25/9/2013

This idea came from a blend of Italian and Greek cuisine “Spaghetti with Lentil Cassolet.” Twisting some flavours and replacing the grains, we can Asian-ise this into an equally desirable meal for the wholefood vegetarian or vegan seeking to expand their culinary repertoire. This is international comfort food at its best!

Black bean noodles are available at health food stores. Cook as per instructions and consider popping them into an ice bath straight after cooking - these noodles overcook and fall to pieces very easily so getting them cold is important.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4

    •    200g Black Bean Noodles
    •    50 g Black eye peas, soaked, cooked and cooled
    •    2 cloves garlic, finely diced
    •    4 cm piece ginger, finely diced
    •    1 cup of 1cm diced brown onion
    •    1 cup of 1cm diced carrot
    •    1 cup of 1cm diced celery
    •    150g oyster mushrooms
    •    1 star anise
    •    1 bch chinese broccoli
    •    1 bch bok choy
    •    celery salt
    •    ½ cup Shao Xing (or sherry if you want gluten free)
    •    ½ cup Vegetarian Mushroom Sauce
    •    ½ cup water

PREPARATION
Heat a saucepan over a medium high heat. Add rice bran oil and add your garlic, ginger and onion and stir-fry for about 1 minute taking care not to burn.

Add diced celery, mushroom, carrot and fry for another minute on a high heat. While heat is still on high add shao xing wine and let it reduce for about 40 seconds.

Reduce heat to medium and add vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce. Bring up to heat and set aside to cool a little. Add water if it’s a little too thick.

Mix noodles with slightly warm Bean Cassolet and serve warm or at room temperature.

Plunge the cleaned chinese greens into salty boiling water for about a minute. Drain in a colander, sprinkle with celery salt and serve with a Carrot and Daikon salad on the side.

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THAI GREEN VEGETABLE CURRY

25/9/2013

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Making the curry paste yourself takes your dish from so-so to spectacular beyond belief. The extra love and effort is worth it! But for those short on time, use your favourite high quality green curry paste, and simply add the vegetables. This curry is lovely served with cauliflower rice and a thai-inspired green mango salad.

INGREDIENTS

For the Curry Paste:
WET ingredients
10 Long green chilis
3 sticks Lemongrass (use white ends)
6 cloves Garlic
8 cm piece Galangal (peeled)
5 cm piece ginger (peeled)
1 bch green onions
Zest of 2 limes
4 lime leaves
1 bch coriander root (cleaned)
1/4 Cup rice bran oil
1/2 Cup of water

DRY ingredients
3 tsp Peppercorns
8 tsp Cumin
10 tsp Coriander seed
2 tsp Turmeric

For the Vegetable Curry:
600 ml of coconut cream
1 large Eggplant, large 1 inch dice
300 grams Jap Pumpkin, large 1 inch dice
2 Red Onion cut into wedges, leave the core intact with each piece so it stays together
1 tsp himalayan crystal salt
1 tbsp Fish sauce (optional)
1 tbsp Tamari
1 tbsp lime juice
1 ½ tbsp coconut nectar
Fresh sliced greens such as kale, chard, cabbage, broccoli leaves to garnish.

PREPARATION

For the Curry Paste:
Blend all WET paste ingredients till it becomes a smooth paste. Roast all spices except turmeric in the oven at 170 ° C for 8 minutes taking care not to burn them. Mix DRY and WET ingredients.

Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a large heavy based saucepan or pot on a medium heat and add 3 tablespoons of curry paste. Fry for 3 minutes stirring and scraping bottom of pan. Take off the heat if it gets too sticky and wait till it can be scraped off the pan. Continue frying on a medium heat for another 2 to 3 minutes making sure it doesn’t stick.

Note: If you want to use shrimp paste use about 50 grams and roast it wrapped in foil at 180 ° C for 10 minutes. It will be extremely fragrant! Mix this through your paste before you use any for frying.

For the Vegetable Curry:
To your cooked paste, add the coconut cream and bring to the boil. Add the eggplant, pumpkin, and onion. Bring all ingredients to the boil and then turn the heat down to medium.

Once everything is cooked, add salt fish sauce (optional), tamari, lime juice, and coconut nectar (this will take back the acid and sweeten your curry up.)

Sprinkle with fresh sliced greens such as kale, chard, cabbage, or broccoli leaves to garnish.

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VOLCANIC PUMPKIN CASSEROLE + CHERMOULA

25/9/2013

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INGREDIENTS
Serves 6-8

For the Casserole:
200g Chick peas, soaked for 24 hours and cooked till tender (approx. 20 mins)
1 small Onion 1cm diced
2 small Carrot 1cm diced
2 sticks Celery 1cm diced
2 Bay leaves
2 tins Organic tomatoes
1 cup of water or vegetable stock
Zest of 2 Oranges
2 tbsp Raw Honey (optional)
Celtic sea salt

For the Chermoula:
2 cloves garlic
3cm piece of ginger
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp fennel
2 tsp cinnamon
½ cup Parsley finely chopped
½ cup Coriander finely chopped
½ cup Mint finely chopped

PREPARATION
Remove the top of the Jap pumpkin carefully with a small knife and then remove the seeds. Keep the lid intact.

To make the Chermoula:
Blend Chermoula ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth.

To make the casserole:
Firstly, sauté your onion, carrot and celery for about 2 minutes on a medium to high heat. Add the Chermoula paste and bay leaf and sauté for another 3 mins making sure it doesn’t stick. Add the tomatoes and stock or water and bring to the boil then simmer for about 40 minutes. Add the cooked chickpeas about 10 minutes before the sauce is ready. At the end zest orange rind into the sauce and add honey if you need it.

Fill your Jap pumpkin with hot casserole and bake at 180°C for 40 mins or until the pumpkin is tender. Take care removing it off the pan. If possible serve in the same dish otherwise use a fish slice and tea towel to help get it out safely onto your serving dish.

A good tip is to make your sauce the day before to let all the flavours marry together overnight. It makes such a difference. You won’t use all the casserole in the pumpkin but it’s always good to have a little extra. Such a cool centrepiece and will blow every vego away.

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BLACK BEAN NOODLES WITH BLACK EYE PEA CASSOLET + CHINESE GREENS

THAI GREEN VEGETABLE CURRY

VOLCANIC PUMPKIN CASSEROLE + CHERMOULA

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