Chunky Puy Lentil Dahl (Vegan)

Chunky Puy Lentil Dahl (Vegan)

This is a mildly curried soup which is really closer to a stew. Its just the thing on a cold winter day. As a main course you could serve with some basmati rice. 

(recipe by Sarah Wasserman)

Serves four as a main or six to eight as a starter.  

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil

1 small red onion (diced)

1 mild green chilli (red would be fine too)

4 garlic cloves

1 inch of peeled fresh ginger

1 tsp mild curry powder (madras preferably)

1 tsp coriander seeds 

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp ground tumeric

2 small or 1 large carrot (diced)

3 sticks celery (diced)

1 leek (diced)

1 potato (cubed)

300g dried puy lentils (washed)

1 can of chopped tomatoes

water

pinch of sugar

salt and pepper

chopped fresh coriander

To make the soup:

1) In a large pan warm some olive oil. Add the diced red onion and saute gently.

2) Chop together the garlic, chilli and ginger. Add to the onion.

3) Toast the seeds and grind. Add these and the rest of the spices to the pan and saute for a couple of minutes.

4) Add the carrots and celery. Then add the puy lentils and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the the tomatoes, pinch of sugar, potato and leek. Then add in enough water to bring it to a desired thickness. I used about 500ml because I wanted it quite thick but if you want more of a soup add more. 

5) Simmer for 20-30 minutes until the lentils are cooked. Before serving add the chopped coriander.

Vine leaves stuffed with Persian jeweled rice

Vine leaves stuffed with Persian Jeweled rice 

This recipe makes a lot of vine leaves and is perfect for a party. Persian jeweled rice is a pilaf made with lots of jewel coloured ingredients like rose petals and pistachios. Some of these ingrediant are hard to find. I found the dried rose petals in a Greek shop on Seven Sisters but have seen them in other shops specialising in middle eastern food. I got the sour cherries in Waitrose but if you cant find them dried cranberries would make a fine substitute. If you cant get either just add more dates.

(Recipe by Sarah Wasserman)

Makes about 40 Vine leaves

For the Vine leaves:

1 pack of vine leaves - (usually sold in vacuum packs in brine. Follow the instruction on the pack but generally you need to wash them then boil water for 5 minutes then drain and rinse again)

50g sour cherries

50g dates 

100g pistachios

1 red onion (finely chopped)

4 Tbsp dried rose petals

1Tsp cinnamon

1Tsp ground cumin

1/2 Tsp sumac

400g long grain rice (washed)

1/2 bunch Flat Parsley (chopped)

Juice of half a lemon

To Serve:

2 Tbsp chopped Flat parsley

Seeds of 2 Pomegranates

To make the Vine Leaves:

1) Saute the onion in olive oil till transparent.

2) Roughly chop the cherries, dates, pistachios and flat parsley.

3) Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Crunch up the rose petals in your hands as you add them.

4) Spread out the vine leaves and cut out any hard stems from the bottom. Add one tablespoon or so of mix and fold the sides over and roll. Pack them tightly into a ovenproof dish as you go along (I use a Pyrex dish which is 35x25 cm and they always fit perfectly. It quite handy to be able to see through too). I'm not going to pretend this isn't a bit tedious. The best thing to do is rope in a few people or just have the radio on while you do it. I did all 40 in 20 minutes so its not all that bad.

 

 

5) Cover in water, a splash or three of olive oil, juice of half a lemon and then parchment paper. Then get a smaller ovenproof dish and put it on top to keep them from swimming about.

6) Bake for one hour at 180c adding water ever so often if its all evaporated. When you take them out just check if the rice is cooked, if not add  more water and return to the oven. The cooking time does vary a little depending on the rice.

6) Serve scattered with chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds and juice. Serve with something to dip them in, a bit of yogurt will do or, even better, some smokey babaganoush. I know in Britain a lot of us are used to having vine leaves freezing cold from the fridge but I think they are at their best when still slightly warm having been made that day or at least at room temperature as the rice does harden in the fridge. If you make them in advance, take them out of the fridge in advance and splash a bit more warm water over them to take the chill off.

Spinach and Feta Lahmacun

Spinach and Feta Lahmacun 

 

I don't know if its okay to call this a lahmacun as it has no meat. A lahmacun is a thin flat bread usually coated in a thin layer of minced lamb or beef seasoned with tamarind and tomato. Names and sizes vary but it is a common street food of the middle east. Lahmacun is the Turkish name but it is also known as Lahma bi Ajeen, which is what it is called in Claudia Rodins' 'The book of Jewish Food', from which the dough part of this recipe is taken. Lahma bi Ajeen means 'meat on dough' in Arabic so this should be called K'ss bi Ajeen - or Spinach on dough.

I have come to know lahmacun as a wonderful comfort food as my mother in law, Sylvia, makes the best I have ever eaten. They are generously doled out at her parties, when babies are born, when weddings are being prepared for or when somebody begs her to make them for long enough. It is a family tradition handed down by Sylvia's mother Mary, who was from Eygypt, whose food is legend. This is one vegetarian variant I have tried and I plan to try more. We eat them warm with a squeeze of lemon, smothered in hummus and sometimes with salad. I made some large ones but they are also really nice bite size. 

Serves 6-8 as a main
(recipe by Sarah Wasserman)
For the dough:
2 1/2 Tsp's (1 Packet) dried yeast 
1/2 Tsp sugar
250ml lukewarm water
500g Strong white bread flour
1 Tsp salt
4 tbsp sunflower oil


For the topping:
100g Pine nuts (toasted till golden brown in the oven. 10min at 160 ought to do it)
3 bunches (approx. 600g) of spinach (large leaf spinach with the stems on, just cut of the very base where the leaves join. Wash thoroughly.) 
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Large white onion (finely diced)
6 Cloves of garlic roughly chopped
200g Feta
5 Tbsp chopped dill
5 Tbsp chopped flat parsley
1 1/2 Tsp dried Red Pepper flakes (not to be confused with chili flakes. If you can only get chili flakes just add 1/2 tsp. )


To make the dough:
1) Mix the yeast, sugar and water in a large bowl and leave to activate for 10 minutes.
2) Add 3 tbsp of the oil and whisk it a little then start gradually adding the flour. Keep whisking until it becomes thick then add the rest in with your hands. 
3) Knead the dough till elastic and then coanreturn to the bowl with the rest of the oil to coat the dough so it doesn't stick. 
4) Cover with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm place for 2 hours or till doubled in size. 

To make the filling:
1) In a large pan saute the onions in the olive oil on a low heat till the onion wbeging to caramelize. This will take at least 5 minutes. 
2) Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
3) Add the spinach and saute for a minute and then cover and steam till they wilt. 
4) Turn this mixture out into a colander and drain of the excess liquid. 

5) Put the spinach, onion, and garlic mixture onto a chopping board with the pine nuts and chop it all together quite roughly. 
6) In a bowl, combine with the crumbled feta, dill, parsley and chili flakes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

To assemble:
1) Preheat your oven to 240c/475f. 
2) When the dough is ready, divide into 14 balls for large lahmacuns (20cm) or 18 for bite size (about 10cm). 

2) Roll these out very thin (5mm). As you roll them transfer onto lightly oiled baking trays. 
3) Spread the filling on quite thin so you can see the bread though it.
4) Bake for 10-15 minutes. 
5) Eat while still warm with hummus or spicy harissa or both and a squeeze of lemon.

Halloween recipe #4: Pumpkin, coconut and cardamon soup

Pumpkin, coconut and cardamon soup (this recipe is vegan and wheat free)

This is a really rich, creamy soup and the flavour of the cardamon really complements the pumpkin. If you want to make it lighter then just add one can of coconut and some water. This recipe serves 4-5.

(recipe by Sarah Wasserman)

Ingredients:

800g pumpkin (peel it if its a large tough-skinned variety, but no need for the smaller thinner-skinned varieties)
1 small white onion
3 cloves of garlic
15 cardamon pods - de-shelled
6 kaffir lime leaves (we get these in fresh, if you're using dried then re-hydrate them in some warm water)
1 green chilli

1) Chop up your pumpkin
2) Toast the cardamon pods until they start to pop (not too hot, you don't want to burn them). Then open up the pods and remove the seeds. Crush the seeds in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder.
3) Saute the onions with the chilli, garlic and add the cardamon
4) Remove the tough vein from the kaffir lime leaves and then slice them. Add them to the onions.
5) Add the diced pumkin, saute for a couple more minutes and then add the coconut milk.

6) Simmer for 30 minutes. You may need to add some water depending on how firm your squash is. 
7) Puree the soup with a stick blender then serve.