Vegan MoFo Day 18 - Curried Apricot Rice Salad

This is a simple but very tasty dish, great as a side, as a snack or for parties and picnics.

Curried Apricot Rice Salad
Ingredients
1 Cup Brown Rice cooked in 3 cups water for 20 minutes, drained and left to cool
+/- 1 teaspoon Cumin
+/- 1 teaspoon Curry Powder
+/- 1 teaspoon Salt
half teaspoon Black Pepper
Sprinkling of Turmeric
Sprinkling of Garam Masala
Sprinkling of Garlic Powder
4 Dried Apricotes, diced
Handful Sultanas (or raisins)
Handful Roasted Cashews

Method

Fork the Rice (giggles) regularly whilst it's cooling to prevent it from sticking. When it's cooled completely add all the ingredients mixing really well after each addition and Bob's yer uncle!
How easy is that!
Don't be shy to add more of the Spices and taste it regularly to check how it's coming along and just season it to your taste really. This is so versatile and the possibilities are endless so don't be scared - experiment with it. This will keep in the fridge a few days and is even better the next day too.

GO VEGAN!

Go MoFo!

Vegan MoFo IV Day 9: Indian Nosh

So many awesome MoFo recipes have caught my eye and been bookmarked for future reference but when I saw this Aubergine Tikka recipe from The Stripey Cat I knew what the fate of the Aubergines awaiting me in my fridge was. 

Believe the stripey one when she says "it's delicious, do plenty!" because IT IS!

The Korma Sauce was actually a Balti sauce out of a jar with some coconut milk added and the onion bhajis are from Iceland because they are vegan and they are AMAZING!

Onion rice is peasy poo to make and so is sag aloo.

Onion Rice

serves 3

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium onion sliced thinly

3 cardamom

1 star anise

1 bay leaf

half a cup frozen peas

3 cups of cooked rice

salt

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and add the sliced onion, cardamom, star anise and bay leaf. Cook on med high for 10 mins stirring quite regularly. You want the onion to have quite a few caramelly crispy bits. Add the frozen peas and then the rice and heat through for 5 mins or so. Add salt to taste.

Sag Aloo

serves 6 as an accompaniment

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon black onion seeds

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon ish fresh ginger, diced

1 medium onion sliced thinly

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon Chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida

300 grams fresh spinach 

10 boiled new potatoes cut to bite size pieces

Heat the oil in a big pan, add the mustard seeds and onion seeds and cook for 1 minute (pop the lid on here 'cos they'll be popping away like troopers and a hot seed in the eye is never a good look). Add the garlic and ginger and cook through for a few mins then add the onion and cook on medium for 5 mins or so. add the turmeric, garam masala, chili powder, salt and asafoetida and mix up really well. Add the potatoes and coat them all in the spicey mixture then add the spinach a handful at a time stirring well after each addition. Turn the heat down low, place the lid on and cook for 10 mins stirring every now and then.

SCOFF!

Vegan MoFo day 10: Friday Night is Indian Night...HURRAH!

Well it is in our house tonight! Though admittedly this meal was intended for last night but some silly treehugger had forgotten yesterday was a National Holiday and all the shops were shut so she couldn't buy Onions and Spinach. This meal was the reason and inspiration for yesterdays blog on Spices, which I'm so glad so many of you enjoyed. I really appreciate feedback so thank you for leaving all your comments. I made the Chickpea and Spinach Curry out of Vegan with a Vengeance after my good blog friend Half Pint Pixie rated it so highly. And for once I actually followed the recipe. Following recipes is something I have a real problem doing. I always think "Oooh I'll add this and that to it" or "Hmmm..that's a bit too much of that, I'll just put half in". But I resisted the temptation with this and I'm glad I did because I don't think there is one thing I would change about it - not a thing, nada. To accompany the Curry I made Onion Bahji's and Onion Rice. I'm not a fan of Rice but Mr treehugger loves it and he loves this version that I make for him whenever we have Indian food. The Onion Bahji's were amazing and lower in fat than normal because they were baked in the oven and not the traditional method of deep frying - so you can eat twice as many!

YAY! I got my inspiration for them from here, there's a brilliant step by step instructions too, but I made a few alterations (see above).

Onion Bahji makes 6 Ingredients 1 Large Onion 1 medium Carrot, peeled and grated 4oz (1 1/8 Cup) Gram Flour 1/2 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp Cumin 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder 2 Tblsp Olive Oil 1 Large Tblsp Tomato Paste 100ml Water 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1/4 tsp Cumin Powder 1/4 tsp Cinnamon 1/4 Chili Powder Method Cut your Onions in half then cut into medium sized slices, not too thick nor too thin, 'kay. In a large pan heat the Olive Oil and saute the Onions for 8 mins. Add the grated Carrot and stir well. Continue cooking for a few minutes - it's important not to let the Onions go brown. Then add the Chili Powder, Turmeric, Cumin and Cinnamon and take off the heat. In a bowl add the Gram Flour, Baking Powder, Salt and Cumin and mix together really well. Now add the Onions and Carrots to the bowl - mix well. In a jug, add the Tomato Paste to the Water and stir it all up. Gradually add the Tomatoey Water to the Flour and Onions until you have a thick batter (you may not need to use it all or you may need to add more water) and stir really well whilst doing so. Grease a baking tray and place two tablespoons of the Onion mixture per Bhaji onto the tray. Flatten a little with the back of your spoon. Place into a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, take them out and turn them over and return to the oven for another 5-10 mins. Keep an eye on them because I know ovens vary from one to another. They will be ready when golden brown all over and with a few little burnt crispy bits. Serve immediately. The Onion Rice isn't exact measurements, it is pretty much done to your own preference. It is important to cook your Rice beforehand and leave it to go cold (ideal for using up leftover Rice from the day before). Basmati is best but it really doesn't matter. I used up the leftover Rice from my Chili Gone Barmy and it was still delicious. Onion Rice Ingredients Cooked Rice 2 Tblsp Olive Oil Half an Onion, sliced thinnish Handful of Dried Caramelised Onion 1/2 tsp Turmeric 3 Cardamoms 1 Black Cardamom 2 Cloves 1 Bay Leaf 4 Black Peppercorns Salt Method In a large frying pan, heat the Oil and add the sliced Onions. Saute for 5-10 mins stirring quite regularly. Add the cooked Rice and Turmeric and cook for 5 mins or so. Add the Dried Caramelised Onions and cook for another 5 minutes. Then add the Salt, Bay Leaf, Cardamoms, Cloves and Peppercorns, cook for another 5 minutes. Place in a dish with the lid on and keep warm until you are ready to serve. Today's song is Billie the Vision and the Dancers - Ask For More

Vegan MoFo Day 8: Chili Gone Barmy

I love one pot meals. I also love one pot meals that can be prepared hours ahead of time. In fact I can't really think of any meal that isn't improved a hundred fold by being left for a few hours to steep and simmer in it's juices. I think it's quite safe to say that most Vegetarians and Vegans learn to make Chili quite early on in life. It's one of those fail safe transition foods that is easily adapted and happily scoffed down by omni friends and family alike. I also bet that everyone has their own way of making their Chili and I bet everyone makes a good damn Chili at that too. So I was in two minds to write up my recipe but then I wouldn't have had anything to blog about (without using my brain to come up with something else that is) so sorry folks but here is yet another recipe for Chili - only this one really is the best I promise you.

Chili Gone Barmy serves 4 Ingredients 1 Tblsp Olive Oil 1 tsp Mustard Seeds 1 Medium Onion, chopped, sliced, bit of both - whatever. 2 Green Chilies, De-seeded if you don't want too much spicy heat, I like my Chili HOT 2 Cloves Garlic, diced Medium Red Pepper, de-seeded and cut into long strips Pinch Italian Herbs (Herbs Provencal - or Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme - but just a smidgen) 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon 2 tins Plum Tomatoes - juice an' all 1 Jar or two tins Red Kidney Beans ( of course you can use Fresh Beans that have been cooked according to the packet - about 400 grams of cooked Beans is what you're after) 250 grams Long Grain Rice 1 tin Sweetcorn Salt Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method Add the Olive Oil to a big heavy based pot, heat for a few seconds and add the Mustard Seeds - PUT THE LID ON! This step is important because Mustard Seeds pop like popcorn and you will be attacked with tiny popping Mustard bombs otherwise. Return to the heat and add the Onions and Chili. Saute for 5-8 mins without putting your head over the pot - you will be blinded for 5 minutes - not that I did this you understand, ahem! Then, when your eyes have stopped watering and you can see again, add the Peppers and cook for another few minutes. Drain and rinse the Kidney Beans and add to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes stirring once in a while. Add both tins of Plum Tomatoes squishing them up with a fork so as they break down, and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, add a pinch of Italian Herbs and the Cinnamon and cook for 20 mins stirring now and again. Place the lid on and go about your business. 20 mins before serving, bring a HUGE pan of Water to boil and add your Rice, simmer for 12 mins and drain. Heat your Chili through and cook with the lid off, stirring quite regularly. Add the drained Sweetcorn, Rice and season to taste. I find this needs quite a bit of Salt. Cook for another 5 minutes and serve. This is good in a Jacket Potato the next day as well - or even served in between Tortillas and Tacos. YUM! I know I'm not alone in saying I often have songs stuck in my head and then have this incessant need to play them over and over again until I am sated. Well, I thought it would be fun to have a song for each blog entry just so as y'all can see what an eclectic taste in music I have if nothing else, but maybe to inspire you to have a listen to the same song and spread the love in song format. Todays song is England Be Nice by Ini Kamoze. Choooooon!