Green Bean Casserole

We had our annual Thanksgiving feast a few weekends ago, and all the usual suspects were served to our friends; nut roast, sweet potato casserole, mashed potato, corn on the cob, stuffing and of course green bean casserole.

Green bean casserole is a classic American Thanksgiving dish, which I had never heard of before meeting the American Vegetarian. She described it as green beans with mushroom sauce and fried onions. It didn't sound particularly appetising and when I looked on line to get some recipe ideas, the ones I found seemed even more unappetising (have a google yourself and you'll see what I mean). Recipes that entailed mixing canned cooked green beans with fried onions and milk before baking in the oven for 30 minutes!!!

So I thought I would create my own version of the classic American dish of green bean casserole. I think my version is good, and all who have tasted it have always asked for seconds....and thirds.

Ingredients (Serves 8)

600 grams of fresh green beans.
300 grams chestnut mushrooms.
1 can of condensed mushroom soup.
400 grams of crispy fried onions.
a good handful of fresh parsley; chopped.
a knob of butter.
salt & pepper.

Method

Wash, trim and cut the green beans in thirds, boil them for two minutes only in boiling water and then drain and place in iced water so they stop cooking, set aside. Next wipe the mushrooms clean with a cloth. Because mushrooms soak up water it is best not to wash them. Just wipe the mushrooms and then slice them. In a pan melt the butter and then add the mushrooms, and saute for about 5-10 minutes, until the mushrooms have released their juices and cooked. Instead of letting the water cook off, I just pour it away. Next add about 3/4 of the can of condensed mushroom soup, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the parsley and the green beans to the mushroom mix and season and mix well. Add this mixture to an oven dish. I use one which is just under 2 inches deep. Cover with foil. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 minutes at 180 Celsius. Thirty minutes into the cooking time take the dish out and add the fried onions to the dish, recover with the foil and place back in the oven for the final 10 minutes. You don't want to add the onions at the beginning as they will burn. So adding them to the final 10 minutes of cooking is just fine.

I always prepare the dish early in the day so when the guests arrive all that is left to do is cover with foil and bake.

Serve with a thanksgiving meal or as a side dish to any other meal, any time of the year.

Perfect Pizza Dough

Even if I do say so myself. I've been making pizzas at home for a few years now, but I've always used the 'just add water' mix to make my pizza dough. NOT ANY MORE. Whilst I was in Sorrento I learnt how to make pizza dough, and at the weekend I made it for the first time and I have to say it was a-ma-zing.

It was so good that I made some more dough the following morning so I could have a marinara pizza for lunch. So here are the recipes for the pizza dough and the marinara topping. I got the thumbs up from the American Vegetarian and after abstaining from Italian food since we got back it was a wonderful reminder of the beauty of Italian food.

Pizza Dough (Makes one large pizza, enough for 2-3)

Ingredients 

250grams of strong white flour.
1 tspn of dried active yeast (the one which you activate in water first.)
1 tbspn of extra virgin olive oil.
Good pinch of salt.
Small glass of warm water.

Method

Activate the yeast in some warm water. Mix the flour with the salt and extra virgin olive oil. Then add the activated yeast and mix well. Slowly add the warm water until you have a dough. If you add too much water don't worry, just add some more flour until its not sticky and you have a nice dough. Need for around 5 mins. Whilst needing if the dough becomes sticky to your hand add some more flour or a small drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. This will prevent further sticking and also help with the needing process. Once you have a smooth dough, cover with a damp cloth and place somewhere warm for about one hour or until it has risen.

After a good hour take the dough, and on a well floured surface roll the dough out to the size you require.

Go to my post Italian Tomato Sauce, to see how I make my pizza sauce.

Once you have your sauce and base, try this simple and delightful marinara topping. I love this topping for a pizza as it has no cheese!

Marinara Topping

Ingredients

Dried oregano.
1 clove of garlic finely sliced.
Extra virgin olive oil.

Method

After you have rolled out your pizza and topped it with the pizza sauce, sprinkle over the dried oregano, and add the sliced garlic. Cook in an pre heated oven (180 degrees Celsius) for 15 mins or until pizza is cooked. Once done drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy.

Farari bateta nu shaak (Potato curry with coriander and cashew nuts)

Its festival season in the Hindu/Gujarati calender, which means lots of nice food and family time. Some people fast on some days during this time and this dish is a dish my Mum would make when we fasted.

I didn't mind fasting as a child. Fasting didn't mean you couldn't eat all day until the evening but that you couldn't eat certain types of foods. I always felt a bit special when I fasted. I remember going to school and instead of having school dinners I would have some roasted and salted peanuts that Mum would have made me. I also just looked forward to the amazing dinner Mum would make when I got home.

The food that Mum made on the days we fasted was different to the every day 'dhal bhaat shaak n rotli (dhal, rice, curry 'n' rotli). It was special fancier food, well at least I thought so anyway. This potato curry is one of my all time favourites, and one you will not see in your every day high street Indian. It hasn't got a heavy tomato sauce but is light, fragrant with cashew nuts and coriander and delicious served with just some natural yoghurt.

Serves 4.

Ingredients

8 medium sized red potatoes; boiled and cubed.
A cube of ginger peeled and grated.
Half a green chilli.
1 tspn of salt.
1 tspn of sugar.
Big handful of cashew nuts; loosely broken.
Big handful of fresh coriander; chopped.
1 tspn of cumin seeds.
1 tbspn of sunflower/vegetable oil.
A splash of lemon juice.

Method

Once you have boiled your potatoes allow them to cool down and then peel the skin off and cut them into cubes and place on a dish. The potatoes should be at room temperature. Add the grated ginger, the chopped green chilli, salt, sugar and the coriander onto the potatoes. Heat some oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds and cashew nuts. Once they smell aromatic add the seasoned potatoes and toss it all together. The way I toss the potatoes is by holding the pan and doing a flip action rather then using a spoon. Using a spoon will crush the potatoes. So mix well by tossing the actual pan. Add a splash of lemon juice and cook on a low heat for around 5 mins.

Serve with natural yoghurt.

Italian Tomato Sauce

I've been in the Amalfi Coast, which explains the absence of posts of late.

I love Italian food, and the Amalfi Coast had a lot to offer for food lovers. Tomatoes that tasted of the sun, figs that were ripe and juicy and the biggest lemons you have ever seen. As well as visiting many amazing restaurants (and one really bad one) and trying pizza marinara fresh from a wood fired over I also loved going to the local supermarket and buying a big bag of tomatoes, figs and some basil. Fixing up a great salad, and heading down to the beach. Summer on a plate, and all for under 3 Euros. I was in tomato heaven.

After Indian my favourite cuisine is Italian. I love them both for the opposite reasons. Italian food is best because of its simplicity; simple ingredients married together to make fantastic dishes. Indian food I love because of the complexity of many spices that makes a great taste.

So while I was in Sorrento I decided to check out a cooking class. Sorrento Cooking School, offered a three hour class making four dishes; a pizzette, ravioli, a fish course and tiramasu. Two courses; the pizzette and fish course, the chef demonstrated how to make and then the other two; ravioli and tiramasu, we got to make. Personally I really enjoy getting my hands dirty and want to make everything, so for me this class didn't offer me enough hands on cooking. But I have picked up some great tips and will defiantly be making the ravioli and pizzette and tweaking my tomato sauce to how Mina the chef makes it. However this is a great class for novice cooks.

The pizzette was something new for me. Its a small pizza topped with tomato sauce, basil and parmesan cheese. Its different from a pizza as the dough is rolled out into a small circle and then fried in peanut oil rather than baked in an oven. After the chef made the dough, we then got to each have a portion of dough and make our own pizzette. Now you would think that they would be slightly greasy once cooked. But they weren't, they were soft, light and extremely tasty. We got to have these with a glass of prosecco sitting underneath an orange tree. Bliss.

The ravioli was also surprisingly simple to make. We all got to make our own ravioli dough, roll it out and make cheese ravioli. I haven't made any of the recipes at home yet, but once I do, I will post the recipes. In the meantime here is Mina's tomato sauce.

Mina's Tomato Sauce

Two bottles of passata
1 clove of garlic; peeled,
Some salt
3-4 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
A good handful of basil

Method

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a big pan. Get the garlic and squash with your hand or the back of a knife so it breaks a little. Add this to the pan, then fry until the garlic goes golden on both sides, but make sure it doesn't burn. Take the garlic out. (Mina said that once the oil has flavoured itself with the garlic you don't need it anymore). Add the two bottles of passata. (Top Tip: Do not rinse out the bottles with water and then add this to the pan. Passata is concentrated tomatoes and by adding water to it you are defeating its purpose.).

Cook with the lid on, on a high heat for 10 mins, and then turn the heat down to medium heat and cook for another 10mins. Add the basil, taste, adjust seasoning and use either as a base for pizza, or on pasta. Tomato sauce done.

Spicy left over rice (Vagherla Bhat)

Growing up there was always left over rice in the kitchen, and this recipe is a great way to make plain boiled rice into an exciting dish with attitude (as Jaime would say).

Ingredients

1 cup of left over cooked rice.
1/2 tsp of chilli powder
1/2 tsp of turmeric
3/4 tsp of salt
3/4 tsp of mustard seeds
3/4 tsp of cumin seeds
Some vegetable oil.

Method

Put the rice on a plate and add the chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Heat some oil in a frying pan, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they start to pop and smell aromatic add the rice and mix well. Keep mixing until all the rice is covered with the spices and everything is cooked through.

I love this dish, and I don't know anyone who doesn't. Its great with some yoghurt or just as is.

Coriander Mashed Potato

So I thought tonight's dinner was going to be a simple case of classic corn on the cob with mashed potato and a salad. Classic American food. Even though both the American Vegetarian and I both adore Indian food the American Vegetarian sometimes just says "can't we have something plain". So tonight was going to be the 'can't we have something plain' night, with mashed potato.

On an evening when I know I'm making dinner, I really enjoy stepping into my kitchen, turning on the radio, and having a bit of 'me' time. I find it therapeutic and quite meditative. Its just me in my kitchen and I really enjoy my space. So tonight, as I was listening to Eddie Nester on BBC London I began prepping our dinner, and then the American Vegetarian comes in, starts washing and peeling the potatoes. 


"Mmm, so you're helping me make dinner then?". I thought.

We learnt early on that cooking together didn't really work out, I ended up going in to 'control freak' mode and well...you can imagine the rest, it wasn't great. So I was a bit surprised that she wanted to help. (I also just wanted the kitchen to myself). Anyway after she put the potatoes onto boil, she added 1 teaspoon of turmeric. 


"Er what you doing?" I asked,

 She said that she found a recipe that she wanted to try. So I looked at it and it was full of Indian delights, coriander seeds, cumin, green chilli, even the 'only ever used on extremely special occasaions' GHEE was there. Wow, this is the polar opposite of  'something plain', but who am I to argue.

So I make the recipe and find to my amazement that its a Vivek Singh recipe for Coriander Mash. I love Vivek Singh's food. We went to The Cinnamon Kitchen once, and what he does with Indian flavours blew my palate. So I was pleasantly surprised that not only did the American Vegetarian wanted to have this for dinner but that it was actually very simple to make. So here is my version of Vivek Singh's recipe for Coriander Mash. I've adapted a bit to show you what I did. It's simple, uncomplicated and very very tasty.


Ingredients


4 or 5 medium to large floury potatoes, peeled and cut into halves
1tsp ground turmeric
1tsp salt
25g butter
1tbsp ghee or clarified butter
1½ tsp coriander seeds, roasted in a dry frying pan and then crushed
½tsp cumin seeds, roasted in a dry frying pan and then crushed
½tsp red chilli flakes
2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated
half a red chilli, chopped
Big handful fresh coriander, chopped
Juice of ½ lemon

Method

Cook the potatoes in boiling water with the turmeric and salt until tender. Drain and mash the potato with the butter until smooth. Heat the ghee or clarified butter in a frying pan and add the crushed coriander seeds, cumin seeds and red chilli flakes. When they release their aroma, add the ginger and red chilli. 

Add the mashed potatoes and stir to mix well. Sprinkle in the coriander and lemon juice, mix well and serve. 

Sag Paneer by Savera Dairy

As I mentioned in my previous post I've had the pleasure lately of trying out some brand new Indian dairy products by Savera Dairy. In this post I'm trying out their paneer and raitu.

Now to be honest I'm not that fussed when it comes to paneer. I can take it or leave it. Mum never cooked spinach curry with paneer in it so sag panner is not a dish I crave from childhood. My cousin does an amazing chilli paneer but she has yet to give me the recipe. So paneer is not a regular feature in my shopping basket or a dish I would opt when going out.

But that I think is all changing, thanks to Savera Dairy. When I opened the packet of paneer I was pleasantly surprised at its appearance. It was pure white and resembled feta cheese. Whenever I've bought paneer from the shops I always thought it looked rubbery and with a tinge of yellow in its colour.

So on first appearance it was thumbs up. I then cut the paneer into small chunks. I decided to make Sag Paneer (spinach curry with paneer) as I had a bag of spinach delivered in my veg box this week as well. Upon cutting the paneer it stayed strong and had a lovely texture to it, again much like feta cheese but not as crumbly as feta, which is another positive as you don't want the paneer crumbling away in a curry.

Once the paneer was cooked in the curry, it stayed whole and had a great texture and flavour. It soaked up the flavours really well and kept its shape. It even got the thumbs up from the American Vegetarian who has never been a great fan of paneer. So all in all I have to say Savera dairy paneer is great. It's much better than the paneer that I've found in the shops currently. It doesn't look rubbery, hasn't got a tinge of yellow and has a flavour.

Now on to the raitu. Raitu is a yoghurt dip with cucumber and herbs. What I really like about the Savera raitu is the convenience. I just peeled back the lid and immediately was hit by a waft of mint. It had a good balance of mint, coriander, and cucumber. Its cool, refreshing and great as a dip or accompaniment with the main meal. Also fantastic for barbecues and picnics.

So here is my recipe for Sag Paneer

Ingredients

1 pack of Savera dairy paneer; cut into chunks
1 big bag of spinach; washed and chopped
Some vegetable oil
1/4 tsp of mustard seeds
1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
a pinch of asafoetida (hing, optional)
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1/2 tsp of chilli powder
2 tsp of ground coriander
3/4 tsp of salt
3/4 tsp of sugar

Method

Heat some oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds once they start to pop and become aromatic, add the hing if using, then add the spinach and paneer. Add the turmeric, chilli powder, ground coriander, salt and sugar and mix well. Cover and simmer on a medium heat for around 20 minutes. After 20 minutes check and adjust flavour. If you find it slightly bitter, add some sugar to sweeten it up. Add some water as well if all the water has cooked away. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes and then serve with rice, or rotli (Indian bread). You can garnish with coriander if you wish.

De-lish!
http://saveradairy.co.uk/

Lassi from Savera Dairy

I've had the pleasure of trying out some new Indian dairy products courtesy of Savera Dairy. They are not available in the shops yet, so I'll do my best to describe how delicious Savera lassis are.

Refreshing, tasty, thirst quenching and gorgeous.

There are two lassies available in the Savera diary range; mango and cardamom (picture on the left) and sweet lassi. They both have a thick consistency and a great full flavour.

I didn't expect this but the mango and cardamom lassi gave me a food memory from my childhood. The mango and cardamon took me back to the days when my parents would invite all my aunts, uncles and cousins over for food and instead of making a full on Indian meal, we'd have fried puri's with cold mango juice. It may sound like an odd combination but it's quite popular to make this when you're cooking for over twenty people. The combination of the hot puri with the cold mango tasted great. The food memory I instantly got from Savera Diary mango and cardamon lassi was a lovely reminder of a cherished past.

These products are great for a mid morning or mid afternoon drink, when you're in between meals and feeling a bit peckish. They remind me of a smoothie and have a similar filling feeling.

The sweet lassi is just as good. A lovely thick consistency with a delicate aromatic cardamon flavour. A very pleasing drink and unlike anything else on the market that I have seen. I look forward to seeing them on the shelves in my local supermarket.

www.saveradairy.co.uk

@SaveraDairy

Raw Mango Salad

I love a mango,. Ripe mangoes, raw mangoes, I just love a mango. Ripe mangoes are juicy and fleshy, and raw mangoes are quite sour. Raw mangoes are usually used in chutney and pickles. I got some raw mango the other day, and this is a very simple salad. Very nice to have alongside a spicy curry. It will give you a nice fresh accompaniment. I peeled my mango, but you don't have to if you don't want to.

Ingredients

1 raw mango; finely sliced
1/4 tsp of chilli powder
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 ts of ground cumin powder
A splash of lemon juice
Some sugar (optional; only add if you find the mango too sour)

Mix all the above ingredients together and enjoy.

Cooking like Mum

The other weekend I went home and asked my Mum, to show me how to make Fenugreek curry (Methi nu shaak). Fenugreek is a green leaf which is also known as Greek Hay and Wild Clover. It has immense health benefits and  many papers recently saying that it is a "fix-all elixir". All I know is that growing up this was one of my favourite dishes, and I wanted to make it like Mum does.


I may have mentioned before that my Mum isn't the most patient person with me when it comes to teaching me how to cook. Whenever I asked her how something was made, she would just reel off the following expecting me to listen and take it in "Just do the vagar, add the masala, and let it cook" all in Gujarati of course. So that's what I've been doing, and its been working. I make very nice currys but they don't taste like my Mums and I've always put that down to the fact that I'M making it and not my Mum. "Its a different hand" my Mum would say, (and now I do as well). You can follow a Jaime recipe, but I guarantee that it won't taste the same as if Jaime made it. So I've always taken for granted that my food will never taste exactly like my Mums because its my hand and not my Mums. That is until last weekend when I asked Mum to show me how to make Methi nu Shaak, and she responded with a "Haa ok", (Yes ok). After my amazement at not getting the usual response but something more positive I followed Mum into the kitchen. I watched and took a mental and written note of everything. I wrote down the times and didn't take my eyes off her for one second. (She got annoyed after a while, but I was on a mission)

Then a few days later I decided to make the curry myself. I was a bit nervous because I wanted it to taste just like Mums but in my heart knew that it wouldn't.  I followed Mums recipe and as I was cooking the American Vegetarian came home and said that the flat smelt like my Mums house. I was like "really", and she was like "yea".


Once it was ready we sat down and I took a piece of home made rotli, and scooped up some shaak (curry). As I ate it I was amazed and delighted that it tasted exactly like Mums. I was so happy. It actually tasted exactly the same. Even the American Vegetarian agreed that it could have been made by Mum. So here is the recipe for you try. It probably won't taste like my Mums as you haven't seen her cook it, but it'll be a very close contender.


Ingredients


Two big bunches of Fenugreek leaves; chopped and washed
Some oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp of asafoetida/hing(optional)
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp of ground coriander
3/4 tsp of salt 
1 tsp of sugar
3 small hand fulls of gram flour
Some water.


Method

Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they start to pop add the asafoetida if using then add the fenugreek leaves. Add the remainder of the spices and the salt and sugar, then add water until it covers the leaves to a level. Place a lid on the pan and cook on a medium heat for around 10 mins. After 10 mins add a little more water then add the gram flour on top of the leaves and put the lid back on for another 10 mins. DO NOT STIR the flour once you put it in. After another 10 - 12 mins check the flour is cooking. It should turn a slightly different colour, some of the flour will still look the same colour but that's ok because now you can give it a stir and allow the water to cook the rest of the flour. Once stirred, turn off the heat, cover with the lid again, and let it rest in its own steam



Serve with rotli and yoghurt. De-Lish! 

I love a good wedgie

Of the potato variety I might add. The American Vegetarian loves potatoes, in any shape or form, mashed, boiled, roasted, baked, well in fact who doesn't? The potato made in any way is just really comforting and tasty. I love potato wedges. They are really simple and quick to prepare and a great way to eat potatoes. They go with absolutely anything which makes them the ultimate in side dishes. I like them with a great big dollop of kethcup.

Ingredients

4 large baking potatoes

Good glug of olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste
3 cloves of  unpeeled garlic

Method

Pre heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6. Wash the potatoes and keep them unpeeled. Cut them in half and then cut the halves into wedges and then place into a nice big bowl. Add a good glug of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Mix it up really well so all the potatoes are covered with the oil and seasoning. Transfer to a baking tray and add three unpeeled cloves of garlic, and roast for around 40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked all the way through. I give them a bit of a mix half way as well.

Serve straight from the oven (without the garlic) with almost anything!

Saffron Lounge (Desi Style)

Warning: This post is not entirely vegetarian:

When I was a kid, my first experience of restaurants was Pizza Hut (every time one of my mates turned 15 we all went to Pizza Hut and gorged on the salad bar), and an Indian, otherwise know as a 'curry house'. Growing up in a Gujarati home, I never thought going out for an Indian would be much fun or different. Why pay for food you can eat at home? But the food at home was all vegetarian and contained no onion or garlic (onions and garlic to my Mum is like kryptonite to Superman). So going out for an Indian was actually a very different and enjoyable experience. I had my first experience of tikka masala, jalfrazi, korma and peshwari naan at a curry house and enjoyed every onion filled mouthful.

So on Friday the American Vegetarian and I ventured to a curry house called Saffron Lounge, in Southend-on-Sea. (my family live there which is why I was there!).

Saffron Lounge is a modern take on an old skool classic. It's decor is all black and white, with leather chairs and white napkins. Pictures of a modern India adorn the walls and there's a tip of the hat to the old skool red velvet wallpaper in the bar area in the form of black velvet wall paper

The menu is a smorgasbord of Indian delights. Old skool classics as well as 'Healthy Options' an inventive 'tapas' menu and a salad section that consisted of more than just your every day side salad like a 'Paneer Tikka Salad'. Leaving the healthy options aside (it was Friday after all) I opted for a non veg starter and the American Vegetarian had a very lovely Hara Bara Kebab which is a great vegetarian starter. Its a spicy mix of peas, carrots, beans, spinach and potatoes made into a small sausage type shape and lightly fried. It also has a surprising piece of paneer through it too, which gives this dish a wonderful flavour and texture.

For my mains I opted for the 'Tandoori King Prawn Masala (desi style), which was a tasty, spicy, glorious mix of onions, garlic and tomatoes. The American Vegetarian had the Saag Bhaji (spinach), and the Bhindi Bhaji (okra) and these were just as good. They were not overloaded with oil, but a great mix of spices instead. We both shared the Saffron Lounge Dahl which was a lovely dish of spiced yellow lentils and some Saffron Lounge naan, which came with green chills' and coriander. I have to say this was lovely. I usually go for a plain naan, as peshwari is sometimes so sweet, its like having dessert with your mains at the same time. So this welcome alternative to the plain was very much enjoyed.

After all that food, we were both too full for dessert. I was there with three generations of my family and we all enjoyed the food. Saffron Lounge has something for everyone, it has the classics, it has something different (tapas menu), and it has something healthy. But if you want something a little extra spicy then ask for it desi style, they'll know what you mean.

Saffron Lounge
12 Hamlet Court Road
Westcliff on Sea
Essex, SS0 7LX
01702 330 575
www.saffronloungeessex.co.uk

OMG Home Made Mango 'Ice Cream' in 5 mins!

Ok so technically its not actually ice cream, but it is a very close contender, and the fact that you can make it at home in about 5 mins with only two ingredients, surely makes this worth a shout out.

It first appeared in our lives when the American Vegetarian wanted to make a mango smoothie. She got out the blender, frozen mango chunks, and some soya milk. But she just didn't have enough soya milk to make it into a proper smoothie. She kept the blender on and it just kept blending. The finished result was a mango ice cream look alike.

Ingredients

Frozen mango chunks; a big handful
Some soya milk. approx 50ml.

Method

Place both ingredients into the blender and blend. Now you will have to stop and start the blender and give it a stir so the mango chunks reach the blades. I stop and start about 5 or 6 times and give it a bit of stir to help it along. But you will end up with a thick creamy consistency of cold mango. Top with anything you want, or just eat as is.

Very refreshing on a hot summers day...when we actually have them!.

SAF Restaurant

On Saturday the American Vegetarian & I made reservations at SAF restaurant. A vegan raw food restaurant in the buzzing and eclectic area of Shoreditch. SAF stands for 'Simple Authentic Food', and it delivers by its name and so much more.

The menu at SAF is a mix of both raw food and cooked food (food which has been cooked over 48 degrees Celsius). The starters that we had were all raw and the flavours, textures, colour and taste that emanated from each plate was astounding. I wish I could cook (or not cook!) food like this. It is so inspirational to see vegan food that is this good. I guarantee that even the hardest of carnivore's would walk away satisfied after eating at SAF.

So on to the food. For starters we first had the Cucumber Consomme. We were presented with a jug of cucumber broth and a bowl of what can only be described as a crushed cucumber sorbet which was surrounded by herbs, and pink peppercorns. You pour the broth over the cucumber sorbet and watch it all dismantle until you have this extremely refreshing and cold cucumber 'soup'. It was amazing. I loved the theatre of the dish as well. Watching the dish change before you once you add the broth was exciting and ingenious. We also had the Blue Hemp Cheese, which is 'cultured pumpkin and hemp cheese'. This dish was also amazing. The presentation, flavour and texture of this dish is something that I can safely say I have not tasted before. The sweetness of the apricot chutney balanced well with the creaminess of the cultured hemp 'cheese'. It came with a slice of dehydrated tomato too and this thin little slice had so much flavour to it, more than any hydrated tomato I've had.

After our starters we were graciously given a complimentary starter from the chef. They have a new summer menu and said they just wanted our feedback. This was a first and a very welcome first. Either the chef really did want our feedback or because we were seated opposite the open kitchen he could easily see that once the food came, the talk went down to a minimum between us and all he saw was us swapping plates every so often. The complimentary third starter were Caviar Blinis. The 'cavier' was made from hemp and beetroot. Little balls of gorgeousness atop sourcream and a sweet potato base. Again, it was presented beautifully, and the different textures and flavours this dish possessed was just divine. All three starters were so good that I truly cannot pick a favourite.

For mains I ordered the Black Tofu and the American Vegetarian had the Seitan Kebabs. Both these dishes were not raw. I've only had seitan in New York where it is readily available in vegetarian places and also non veg places as a veggie option. Its the protein portion of wheat and its not so popular in the UK, and I'm not sure why. When the seitan kebabs arrived, there were two skewers, which looked like a lot and I felt the dish could have done with just the one skewer. The Black Tofu came with two pieces of tofu and I felt it could have done with a third piece. The tofu was marinated superbly in a miso dressing, and came served with rice, kimchee and bak choi. Both dishes tasted amazing, but if I could have swapped a kebab for another piece of tofu I would have.

After all this food, we were actually too full for dessert. Which was ok, as it gave us a reason to go back and try the desserts only!

The decor, service and atmosphere is great at SAF, and the menu is so inviting that you wonder why there are not more people enjoying raw food. They also boast a fantastic botanical cocktail menu and cucumber flavoured tap water on tap. I love SAF and urge anyone, vegetarian or not, to go and have a SAF experience. You'll walk away amazed at the variety of vegetarian food, and come back for more.

SAF Restaurant
152-154 Curtain Road
London, EC2A 3AT
020 7613 0007
www.safrestaurant.co.uk

Simple store cupboard curry's

Sometimes when I come home and I don't want to spend an hour in the kitchen making dinner, I look in my store cupboard and see what I can curry up!

There is always a can of red kidney beans floating around as well as chick peas and black beans being essentials in our home.

Red kidney bean and sweetcorn curry is one of mine (and the American Vegetarian's) favourite store cupboard curry. The pair go together so well and we love how comforting it feels too. Now as this is is a dinner where I don't want to spend most of the evening cooking, we serve it with whole ice burg lettuce leaves and yoghurt and have a kind of lettuce wrap curry.

So this is my 'done in 30 minutes' dinner. Not quite to Jamies' standard but good enough for me.

Ingredients

1 400g can of Red Kidney beans; drained & rinsed under water

1 200g can of sweetcorn; drained & rinsed under water

1 tblsp of oil (Olive, vegetable or sunflower)

1/2 tsp of mustard seeds

3/4 tsp of cumin seeds

pinch of asafoetida (optional)

1/4 tsp of turmeric

1/2 tsp of chilli powder

2 tsp of ground coriander

3/4 tsp of salt

3/4 tsp of sugar

1 fresh tomato; chopped

some water

handful of fresh coriander

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and once hot add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they start to pop, add the asafoetida (if using) then add the red kidney beans and sweetcorn. Add all the spices and the tomato, and stir well. Add enough water so it covers the kidney beans and sweetcorn then cover with a lid half on and cook on a medium heat for 20-25 mins. Half way through the cooking time you can give it a stir and taste it to see if you need to adjust the seasoning. Add water if you want the dish to be more saucy. Once done garnish with the fresh coriander.

Serve with whole lettuce leaves, yoghurt and poppadoms, for an Indian lettuce wrap dinner.

(The picture above is not the dinner we had, but an idea of what it looked like!)

Feta & Tomato Rotli

This is what I've just had for lunch. It was so tasty I thought I'd blog about it. Very tasty way to eat leftover rotli (Indian bread) and the odd bits of food that just hang around the fridge waiting to be eaten.

Ingredients

Two rotli (OK If you haven't got these handy, then any 'wrap' type of bread will do)
1 tomato; chopped
Some feta cheese
Handful of fresh coriander; chopped
Some fresh red chilli; chopped
Salt & pepper to season

Method

Place the tomato in the rotli and then crumble the feta on top. Add the coriander and chilli and season to taste. Roll carefully, and eat shamelessly!

Chilli Paneer

Oh I love a bit of chilli paneer. There are loads of recipes for chilli paneer, and my cousin does a fab chilli paneer, but this is one I made on Friday night.

What I liked about this recipe is dry frying and then grinding the whole spices. The taste and smell they gave off was delish.

Ingredients:

1 packet of paneer; (which turned out to be 227grams), cut into cubes

1/2 tbsp of whole coriander seeds

1/2 tsp (or a pinch ) of fenugreek seeds

1 dry red chilli

1/2 tsp of cumin seeds

A few black peppercorns
1 small onion; sliced
1 garlic clove; chopped until paste like
1 or 1/2  green chilli; chopped (see how you go!)
1 green pepper; cut into cubes
2 fresh tomatoes; chopped up
salt to season

Method

Take all the whole spices (coriander, fenugreek seeds, dry red chilli, cumin seeds, and black peppercorn) and dry roast them in a frying pan on a medium heat. Keep shaking the pan around every so often and then once they start giving off a nice aroma, you'll know they are done. Transfer to a pestle and mortar, and let them cool down for a minute or two, before you grind them down so they become a powder. Set aside.

Heat some oil in a pan and add the onion, and cook until translucent, then add the garlic, green chilli, pepper, tomatoes, the grounded whole spices and some salt. Cook for about 5 minutes uncovered then add the paneer. Mix well and cook for a further 8-10 minutes until the paneer has soaked up the moisture. Once done garnish with fresh coriander and serve with roti, salad or just some natural yoghurt.

Spinacio's,

Easter weekend the American Vegetarian and I drove down to St Ives in Cornwall, and had ourselves an amazing time. Cornwall is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful parts of the UK. Not only is the scenery amazing, the food is too. From Cornish cheese yarg (cheese wrapped in stinging nettles) baguettes from the Cornish deli, to cream tea at Madelines' to a full on veggie feast at Spinacio's. The food was tasty and the options for vegetarians was varied, which always makes a lovely change.

One restaurant we went to twice was Spinacio's. A vegetarian restaurant on St Ives harbour. The restaurant is on the first floor of the Old Custom House, so if you're lucky enough to get a window seat, you can eat your meal overlooking the glorious views of St Ives harbour. Even if you're not sitting by the window, you will not be disappointed. The menu is well thought out, and offers a great variety that stays away from the usual cheese/mushroom affair. 

On our first night, for starters we had a beetroot and walnut pate served with home made cheese straws. This dish was just sublime. The cheese straws just crumbled away beautifully and the pate was very tasty. I've never eaten something like this and thought the pate was an original way to serve beetroot. I loved this dish. The second night we were there we opted for the sautéed asparagus served with bread. The asparagus was tender, delicious and I could have eaten it all night.

For mains on our first night we had bubble & squeak croquettes served with cauliflower and carrot and the American Vegetarian opted for toasted almond tomato and spinach curry with rice, puri and raita. Both dishes were great and very filling. The second night we both opted for Cannelloni Bean and mint patties served with carrot and lime purée, green veg and salad. Every dish we had tasted great. We treated ourselves to dessert on our last night and had old fashioned cheesecake with brambly apple compote. OMG! Seriously good cheesecake

The dishes were original and the options were very good. Their portions too are nice and generous, and on both occasions we left feeling extremely satisfied. We didn't come here twice because it was a vegetarian restaurant, but because the food was amazing, the service of the staff impeccable and friendly and the views of St Ives harbour priceless. I felt this restaurant was more about good food, then being vegetarian. The fact that it is vegetarian shows that there are many adventurous possibilities when it comes to vegetarian dining.  Non vegetarians would also feel very satisfied here as well. 

Every where we ate in St Ives, it seemed the food was locally sourced. This made a huge difference to the taste and quality of the food we experienced. St Ives is a magical place, and the food does it justice. As for Spinacio's well it is one of the best vegetarian restaurants I've been to..ever.

Spinacio's
Old Custom House, Wharf Road, St Ives, Info/booking: 01736 7988
info@spinacios.co.uk

Real Bread

Last week I came home and the American Vegetarian presented me with a warm slice of bread with some melted butter on top. I took a bite and was instantly transported to a place called bliss. It was pure heaven. She became inspired after watching an episode of The Great British Food Revival and Michel Roux Jr was banging on about how real bread is not only better for you but a much more delightful product to consume. The stuff that is in all supermarkets has so many more ingredients (processing aids, artificial additives, E numbers galore etc) and we (the great British public) are consuming this 'bread' rather then supporting our local artisan bakery or just making it at home. Real bread has only four main ingredients;

Flour, water, yeast and salt.

So feeling inspired myself on this Sunday morning I decided to make my own loaf of wholemeal bread. I used the recipe that is on the back of the Hovis Wholemeal Flour I bought to make the bread. I was surprised at how simple, quick and easy it actually is. Making the dough took me no more than 20 minutes and then whilst it was proving (resting) for 2 hours, I had some tea, chilled out and began writing this blog. Once proved it only takes 30 minutes in the oven before your home starts smelling like a bakery and you have some wonderful bread to devour.

There is something really special about eating warm bread that you have kneaded yourself. Especially with some butter on it. You can taste the love you put in it. I'm not being romantic but bread, as opposed to other home made dishes, just tastes so good. I suppose its because we are so used to what the supermarkets sell us that we've forgotten just how good real bread is .

As a society we've labeled bread 'brown' and 'white'. Brown bread being good for you and slightly more expensive and white bread being cheaper and not as healthy. But there is a lot of misguided information and selling that big brands and supermarkets do in order to make the public believe they are buying  brown bread when in actual fact they are still buying white bread. And this is one of my biggest bug bears!

White bread is any bread which is made using wheat flour, and brown bread is any bread made using whole meal or whole grain. Basically if you want brown bread, look at the ingredients at the back and if it doesn't say 'wholemeal or 'whole grain' then the loaf that you are buying is white. Even though it may look brown and has sunflower grains all over it, if it doesn't say wholemeal or whole grain, then it's not brown. White bread that looks white is white because of the bleach they add to it. This of course should always be given a wide berth.

But this post isn't about shop bought bread, this is about the wonderful home made bread I have just made, and implore you to do the same.

Ingredients:

500g of strong wholemeal flour
25g/1oz of butter
1 1/4 tsp of salt
1 1/2 tsp of bread yeast
350 ml (12 fluid oz) of warm water
2 tsp of agave nectar (The actual recipe calls for sugar, so you can use that, but also adding a sweetener is optional. It just adds to flavour and gives the bread a thicker crust)

Method

Mix together the flour, agave nectar (if using), and salt. Rub in the butter and then stir in the yeast. Stir in the water and mix into a soft dough by hand. Then knead the dough for about 10 minutes by hand. If using an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, then only knead for 5 minutes. Shape the dough, (after kneading I shaped the dough into two separate balls) then place in a greased loaf tin. (You can also use a baking tray). Cover with a clean damp tea towel (this stops the dough from drying out) and leave in a warm place for 2 hours.

Uncover and bake in a preheated oven at 230C (450 F/Gas mark 8) for 30 minutes. Once ready the bread should sound hollow when tapped underneath.

Serve with butter and love. Enjoy!

Click on The Real Bread Campaign for more information.

The American pancake V the English pancake

As its Pancake day I thought I'd write about pancakes. Now since the American Vegetarian entered my life, I have consumed more pancakes then I ever have done. Before, I only ever had pancakes maybe once every few years on pancake day and then again if I passed a creperie. But I never made them at home.

I was introduced to the American pancake when I spent time in the States. Small, fluffy things stacked on top of each other with fresh fruit and maple syrup. I remember going to Ihop and the choice you had was astonishing. You had the original buttermilk pancake, the 'Harverst Grain 'n' Nut pancake, Strawberry banana pancake, New York Cheesecake pancake(!!!), Cinnamon pancakes, Blueberry pancakes and Chocolate chip pancakes!!! (Wow I'm so hungry now, I actually want to buy a ticket to the US just to go to Ihop).

Now here in the UK and other European destinations, we favour the thinner style pancake, also known as crepes. They taste great with some lemon and sugar or even some Nutella. These pancakes remind me of walking around a market or festival where there would no doubt be a crepe stall and treating myself to a cheeky snack. I love the lightness of these crepes, and I love the combination of lemon and sugar. This combination for me only works on these types of pancakes. I never have lemon and sugar on American style pancakes. My topping of choice would undoubtedly be blueberries.

For me the American pancake wins hands down. I mean what other country has a franchise dedicated entirely to pancakes. I can't think of a chain here in the UK that is renowned for serving English pancakes. I know there is My Old Dutch, but they're dutch pancakes. Also the American pancakes are much more of a breakfast thing. I find the crepe more of a lunch or snack food.

I love the fluffiness of an American pancake, and I love putting different toppings on it like blueberries, strawberries, bananas and yoghurt, but what I love most is relaxing on a Saturday morning whilst the American Vegetarian makes me American style pancakes. Aaahhh bliss.

Tibits

I have a love/hate relationship with buffets. I love a buffet breakfast at hotels where you can just load your plate up with every food item they are offering. Even the items you wouldn't normally choose with the thought of  'its there so I'll have it'. I always experience a food coma afterwards and don't eat until 24hrs later when it's time for breakfast again.

I don't like an 'all you can eat' restaurant. You don't know how long the food's been sitting there, and I always feel quite full quickly. And once I've got home I feel hungry again.

Now one establishment which I totally love for many reasons is Tibits. A vegetarian buffet restaurant. Tibits is not an 'all you can eat' establishment but a 'pay by the weight' restaurant. Reasons why I love this place and recommend you go there are;

1) The interior is lush. Its cleverly decorated, making it look and feel like a proper restaurant. The colours are deep reds, and greens, with low hanging light fittings. Very chic.

2) The service is good. You get welcomed and they ask you if it is your first time at Tibits. If it is, then they explain how it works; fill your plate with food, then go to the counter and it is priced on how much it weighs. There's a station with free tap water that you can help yourself to, and the Sunday papers to browse over as well.

3) They have a bar area where you can purchase coffees, cocktails, croissants and muffins. You can also purchase sandwiches and they have take out options here too. Delish

4) The FOOD. The food options are fantastic. They have a really good selection of hot and cold dishes, as well as a selection of lettuces, salad dressings and toppings like pine nuts etc. The American Vegetarian and I went there last Sunday after the yoga class she teaches in Covent Garden. Sunday lunch is so good after yoga. The thought of a mountain of food just makes me work harder. And at Tibits, you can really fill your plate up to your delight.

The hot dishes ranged form North African sweet potato in a cream and peanut butter sauce, creamed spinach in a saffron sauce, buckwheat dumplings, and leek and potato quiche. The menu changes seasonally but there are some options you can guarantee will be there, like spiced potato wedges, pilau rice and jalapeno pepper poppers. The cold dishes ranged from quinoa salad with grilled aubergine, yellow lentil dhal, apple and fennel salad in a light curry sauce. Plus you get a free bread roll with your plate as well, and if that isn't enough they have gluten and wheat free options too!!!

What I also love is that when you sit down with your mountain of food, every mouthful has a different taste. I love it. In fact my mouth is watering now just writing this.

As vegetarian restaurants go this surely is one of the best. Not only is it tasty, but the food is different to your everyday vegetarian options. Vegetarian or not I guarantee you will enjoy the food here and walk away fully satisfied. Its so good to see a vegetarian restaurant with options and variety. Healthy, hearty, natural non processed food. What more could you ask for? Oh the desserts are good too!

Tibits is at 12-14 Heddon Street, London, W1B 4DA.