A week of VEGAN - Meal Plan - DAY 2 - Exotic India

No, I didn't just eat an apple!  Day 2...I have roughly planned out what I'm to make this week.  Ooh, how organised.  Actually, I used to be very organised.  I'd shop once a week, list Mon-Sun what I was going to eat, but somehow, with travelling back an forth between my beloved USA and the UK, I'm not as settled as I was, so I just seem to make up my mind on the day what shall be fuelling me.  But, for the sake of my internet life I need to get back on track. Today I wanted warm, fragrant splces and full on flavour.

For lunch I adapted a recipe from Northern India that I found in one of my favourite Indian recipe books India's Vegetarian Cooking by Monisha Bharadwaj.  Sharkarkand ke kebab or, translated, SWEET POTATO KABOBS

They are so easy to make and DELICIOUS.  Great for parties...Try them in a roti wrap with raita or chutney.

If you want to give them a go you will need to hunt and gather...

1/4 cup cashews

3/4 cup chickpea flour

2 med sweet potatoes (washed and steamed in their skins then roughly mashed)

1 tbs ginger peeled (Monisha taught me one to one a few years ago and gave me a great tip....peel ginger with edge of a spoon)

Small handful of chopped mint leaves

A good pinch of freshly shaved nutmeg

Salt & Pepper to taste

1. dry roast the cashews until golden.

2. dry roast the chickpea flour until light gold in colour.  Stir constantly so not to burn.  Remove from heat and put in a bowl to prevent further cooking.

3. Preheat an oven to 350f.  Combine the all the remaining ingredients and add the flour.  Knead the mixture with your fingers and then divide into 8 and shape around skewers.  (I only had 1 chop stick, it was all I could find as I forgot to buy them and I'm 30 mins from a supermarket..)

4. Pop them on a lined baking sheet and bake until golden.  Approx 20 mins.  Serve hot with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

As soon as lunch was done and I had cleaned up I got straight on with dinner (the flavour of this dish heightens when left to brood and then is reheated).

From the same book, I had decided to make an aubergine dish I'd cooked with Monisha on our cooking day.  I haven't made it for eons and once I remembered it I was drooling like a hound!  It is best made with baby aubergines, because they look so good, but alas, I couldn't only find ones all grown up!

Vengan bataka AUBERGINES (EGGPLANTS) IN PEANUT SAUCE -

a dish from Mumbai.  I've adapted the recipe as it is traditionally includes a potato but the idea of aubergines and potato together doesn't excite me.  Use them/don't use them..up to you.  I also used other ingredients to simplify the dish.  I think it tasted just as good (it was better, it was better!)

Serves 4

1 large or 8-12 baby aubergines

3 tablespoons of roasted chickpea flour (see above)

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 tbs grated ginger

1 tbs grated garlic (mince the ginger and garlic to make a paste)

1 tbs tahini

1 tbs crunchy peanut butter (sugar free...just with salted)

1 tbs agave/coconut sugar/stevia/fruit sugar...whichever you have

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

handful of ciltrano (coriander) leaves

1-2 tbs sunflower oil

salt & pepper to taste

1. in a mixing bowl add all but the aubergine and mix ingredients well.  Check the seasoning..tastes fab already!

2.slice the aubergine length ways into 4 and stuff some of the mixture inside. Place them into a large pan and pour over the mixture.

3. put oil in a pan and heat the mustard seeds with the turmeric until the seeds start to pop.

4. add the seeds/spices mixture with the oil to the pan. 

5. Add a few tablespoons of water and then cover.

6. bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Cook until the aubergine is divinely soft and your kitchen is filled with the most amazing aromas..approx 25mins.  The sauce will be thickened, colourful and glorious.

Pud...how can she fit it in you ask?!  I made a little space...for BAKED TOFFEE APPLE & TAHINI CREAM

This pudding is so super simple to make. I popped it in the oven to cook for 35mins whilst I tidied up the kitchen again and introduced my aubergine entree to some lens action.

1 eating apple per person (cox or braeburn are good...I don't like the Figi (sorry Figi) or Pink Lady)....(I have eaten two before)

tahini...as generous as you feel *(You could also use cashew cream or ice-cream)

agave or syrup

No, I don't use toffee but if you remove the apple core and stuff with 2 organic dried apricots they bake to taste like sticky toffee.

1. core the apple, keep the skin on.

2. stuff with dried apricots

3.cover with foil and place in a pan with an inch of water. bake until soft (I was going out so I didn't leave it in quite long enough but it was still delicious)

4. plate and then drizzle with tahini.

More cleaning up!  My tummy was full and happy.  I then went off for a walk around the village to plan for DAY 3.