Rich Lebanese Recipes. Red Muhammara Sauce. [+ cookbook review]

Inspiration for meal ideas can often come from the shelves of cookbooks we have, waiting patiently on our shelves to be noticed, thumbed and covered in sticky ingredients.  This inspiration was from a cookbook launch party, held in Battersea, London at the Food Blogger Connect conference.

I've long had a love affair with Middle Eastern food. It rarely disappoints and the ease with which you can create quite dramatic flavours always amazes me.  Do you go through phases with food?  I do.  Sometimes the slowly simmered foods from India are my kitchen rave. Other times it may be avocado and cilantro (coriander) that line my windowsills which mingle and merge with spritely jalapeños and a conveyor belt of freshly made corn tortillas.  Right now, as the sun shines with close to Arabic effort, I am feasting on the delights of the Lebanon.

Aubergines (eggplant) are being roasted in the oven, alongside plump red peppers doused in oil.  Pinenuts are releasing fragrant oils from gentle toasting.  Supermarkets are being plundered for the ruby jewels of the pomegranate and soy yogurt is being transformed into a lemony, garlicky cool white dip.  You can almost hear the hypnotic, rhythmic music curling in the air with the scent of smokey paprika. Where's my jangly coin, belly dancing belt?

Once the eggplant/aubergine was roasted and delicious (you know how it goes all silky..ooh, I love that) I spooned over rich red muhammara sauce.

Here is the recipe, I adapted from Bethany Kehdy's blog.  The girl who reminded me of the food of the Lebanon.

Her book is out now.  The Jewelled Kitchen  The book is packed with recipes (it is not a vegan cookbook) the most gorgeous photography by Sarka Babicka.  I am in awe of her outstanding talent.

This recipe is gluten free and totally vegan.

red muhammara sauce

1/2 cup toasted almond flour (to sub for bread crumbs)

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup walnuts (I've also made a toasted pine nut and walnut combo 1/4 cup of each..yum!)

2 bell peppers, charred with seeds and skins removed. Use any of the juice they produce.

30 ml pomegranate molasses  (didn't have so I used 1 tsp of sumac for the touch of tartness)

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil (or walnut oil for a richer flavour)

a strong girl squeeze of fresh lemon

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp chill powder or cayenne

salt and fresh black pepper to taste

You can go messing around with putting the charred red peppers into a plastic bag to make them sweat and so easier to peel away the skin, do this if you are in a hurry (don't hurry) or just remove from the oven and wait for it to cool down. It will be easy to peel.

Put all the ingredients into a small blender and blend until smooth.  Test for seasoning.  If it is ok then put in an appropriate serving dish and scatter with crushed walnuts or toasted almonds.  

Do a few hip rolls and a shimmy or two,  to build up an appetite..and then feast.

Food Writer Serving A Spoon Of Comfort - Feeding The Hungry Ghosts [Book Review] [Recipe]

Ellen Kanner - Feeding the Hungry Ghost.  A book that both surprised, comforted and delighted me.

Ellen's book was waiting for me, upon return from my latest trip,  atop my pile of unopened mail.   Sent to me by the New World Library.  i plunged into it with a hearty appetite for  culinary prose.  

Ellen writes a blog and is Huffington Post's Meatless Monday guru/writer/cook. I had no previous knowledge of Ellen so I had no preformed ideas or expectations.
 I was surprised at the manner in which it is written. Though the book is entitled, 'Life, Faith and What To Eat For Dinner', it is far from preachy.  More observational from a curious' perspective. It is a book of  vegan recipes, however, you could almost take away any reference (of which they were few in number), to the fact all recipes  are plant-based, and it would just be a wonderful, honest and tender memoir of life.  Ellen has a well developed sense of fun too, and is just a little bit naughty.  She drew me into her stories. I was rapt. She writes of her travels, family life, an early altercation with a rabbi.  She had me in stitches as she recalled attempts at mass seduction with her amorous cardamon & apple crumble.  It's an honest, book. Ellen’s not afraid to tell you where she trips up in life.  She seems to accept all she is, peculiarities (in her eyes) and all, with humour. 

Ellen shares her life and love through food. I wanted to be sitting alongside her at her kitchen table as she shared her tales.  I almost felt like I was!  To me, a book is good if it offers me something.  Knowledge. A whiff of escape.  It was, comforting to my jet lagged and befuddled mind.  The cover features a bowl of warming soup.  It sums up the contents for me; comforting, nourishing.

I didn’t want it to end.  Some parts resonated more than others. I will leave you to connect in the places where you may need.

The recipes are almost secondary.   I just wanted to feast on her stories.  But it is so clever in a way, as the stories stay with you long after the book has nestled into its new home on your shelf,  and I found myself returning to the book to see what other of Ellen's recipes I could try.

Containing culinary diverse recipes.  49 of them squeezed between the prose.  Some are exotic, influenced by her travels.  All are simple.    Even the novice cook would/could/should happily reconstruct Ellen's dishes in their own kitchen.  She lulls you into a cocoon of security and makes everything feel like the making of it would be a breeze.  She encourages you to bake, chop, shop, all in the company of others.

Think 'How to hack life via the life in your kitchen' type of paperback. 

Conclusion?   I LOVED IT!

The book was inspired by the Hong Kong Festival Of The Hungry Ghost, Yu Lan. A festival on the 15th night of the seventh month that legend tells is the night when the deceased come party with the living.  
This was the first recipe I chose to recreate.

recipe Republished from Culinate.com    From the book Feeding the Hungry Ghost by Ellen Kanner. This content is from the book Feeding the Hungry Ghost by Ellen Kanner. Copyright @ 2013 New World Library

Hungry Ghost Mood Modifier

Serves

2

Introduction

Shirataki are low-calorie, gluten-free noodles made from sweet potato, with an interesting chew. They require no cooking, come packed in water, and can have an off-putting smell when you open the bag. Don’t be afraid; just rinse them well. Find shirataki, along with rice vinegar and sesame oil, at most Asian markets and natural-food stores.

Ingredients

	2	tsp. canola or peanut oil
	1	garlic clove, minced
	1	thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
	2	scallions, chopped
	1	carrot, cut into matchsticks
	1	celery stalk, chopped
	1	red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
	1	cup shredded cabbage
	4	oz. firm tofu, cut into bite-size cubes
	2	Tbsp. soy sauce
	1	Tbsp. Asian rice vinegar
	1	tsp. agave nectar or honey
	1	tsp. sesame oil
	1	package (8 ounces) shirataki, rinsed well and drained

Steps

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes.
2. Add the carrot, celery, and red bell pepper. Cooking, stirring occasionally, until they become tender, 2 to 3 minutes more.
3. Add the cabbage and tofu. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the vegetables and tofu from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cabbage wilts quickly, so this will take only 3 to 5 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, agave nectar, and sesame oil. Pour the mixture over the vegetables and tofu, and stir gently until evenly coated.
5. Add the shirataki and toss to combine. Cook, giving a gentle stir, until the sauce is mostly absorbed and the shirataki is heated through, a few minutes more.

Serve.  
So good.  Even better when eaten with exaggerated slurping noises.  Try it.  It's traditional in China to eat noisily!

I contacted Ellen, to ask her just one question. 

I wonder, with all your time filled with whisking up feasts for other people, what dish do you most like being served to you?

Ellen replied
Thank you for your delicious question.  I adore fresh greens, legumes and chilis in every combination and every cuisine, from Indian curries to soulful Mediterranean stews.  

If you want a weekly feed of Ellen, you can!  Here is the link to her Huffington Post column. 

Artisan Vegan Cheese - Book Review

Artisan. Vegan. Cheese…Yes!! check out those words sitting up against each other.  Is that music I hear?!  To my ears, Ms Miyoko Schinner.  To my ears.
I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book.  Written by long time vegan Miyoko. Cook and founder of Artisan Vegan Life  It is squashed full of cheese alchemy.  The book is sectioned into styles of cheese. 

• artisan & aged
• almost instant
• air dried
• meltable
• sauces & fondue

You can learn to make cream cheese, brie, chèvre etc.  

The back of the book hosts recipes in which to showcase your creations.  I am yearning to get all experimental in the A Vegan Obsession kitchen but, alas, my house is full of plaster dust.  Building work and an impending trip are hampering the experimental kitchen right now, but I did manage to have a blast at the nut parmesan powder and the sharp cheddar.

It is a fascinating read, discovering just what ingredients make a beloved cheese.  Not all recipes are allergy friendly, though they are certainly fantastic for the lactose intolerant (some soy is used in certain recipes).  A good deal of the recipes (the 'hard' cheeses) require thickening agents - agar, carageenan (irish moss).    Miyoko breaks it all down and helps to make you realise that cheese is bascially protein and fat.  Who needs animal milk?!   
It is has some surprises too.  Did you know oil is the secret ingredient to make cheese all melty? Although some of the recipes are practically instant, mostly patience is required.  It's cheese.  Cheese takes time.  Some recipes take mere days, others take weeks…..usually the hard ones.  Though 'hard' doesn't necessarily mean they be as dense as their dairy counterparts.  

Equipment needed to execute the recipes are discussed in the book too, to make sure when cheese making fever strikes, you are good to go.  Most you'll have in your kitchen. The use of a cheese press is aparantely invaluable to produce a more traditional 'hard' cheese.  The only other bit of equipment you may need to fork out for is a blender.  Actually I second (and third) that...a blender is highly recommended.  My blender is still unmaterialised and gathering dust on my 'wish list', (alongside the book deal and the man).  So, I've decided to give the delivery of hitherto mentioned blender a deadline to have it sitting on my countertop for summer 2013!  Meantime, the processor works ok, but can tend towards resulting grittiness.  Or to be more poetic..a tad coarse. 
Rejuvelac, a culturing agent made from water and a grain such as rice or millet and/or non dairy yogurt, get the good bacteria to work, imparting that cheesy flavour.  One of my attempts was with non-dairy kefir, so not so sure it hit the right spot.  I'll try with rejuvelac next.  It is simple to make.





Results: My sharp cheddar came out a little piquant and, without the use of a cheese press, firm.  Tasty though, but not as I recall mature cheddar, and definitely not much of a slicing challenge to my cheese knife.  The nut parmesan was lovely.

Once I'm back in AVO headquarters and those dust-making builders have packed up their tools and walked into the sunset I'll be making my way through these recipes for sure. 

Thanks to The Book Publishing Co.  for bringing us another great vegan recipe book and Randol White from Eat Drink Explore for agreeing for us to post his video interview with Miyoko.

Layered lunch.  

A doorstep of Raw almond bread, a mighty wedge of sharp cheddar, a slice of sweet red apple, topped with a hearty spoon of carrot mayonnaise.   Yes, carrot mayonnaise!  Want it??   I'll be posting the recipe tomorrow.  

Watch out for it. 

Eatin' Vegan in the Dirty South - A Book Review

The postman knocked twice and look what he brought me.

Eatin' Vegan in the Dirty South.  

Bianca Phillips is a girl true to her roots. A long time vegan, born within spit from the Mississippi River.  She oozes love for her home town and her folks.   She tells us Crunk = Passion.  You certainly feel it come through in her writing.

I've not yet visited the Mid-Southern parts of the USA.  Closest I've been s'far is a Soul Food Vegan restaurant in Oakland, the city that shoulders beside San Fransico…does that count?  No. Ok.   I took the book to bed with me that night, then on the train to London the next day.  I was sticking my business cards in between the pages to tab what I wanted to try (first).  I got all 'homey' at her Preface.  She talks of wraparound porches, crumbling yellow cornbread and drops the g from so many words that I begin reading it in a Southern parlance.

Bianca has taken soul food and veganized it, in such a way I'd challenge any meat-eater to not flip out over it.  I expect the USA gets a feel for Southern Cooking and 'classics' traverse the Northern USA.  I'm doubtful of much in the way of Soul Food can be found in the UK right now.  But much of it was new to me.  This is not a 'health' book.  She fries and batters and uses oil liberally, if it is called for.  This book isn't about restraint, it's about celebration, gathering and letting go…once in a while.

So far, I've made two of her recipes.

The Hot Tamale Pie was changed up to become Tamale Dumplings, as I didn't have the cornmeal for the recipe but I had some masa flour that needed to be used up.  I also sub'd the jalepeno for a chipotle.  Dished up to a friend after a long bike ride along the beach, it went down a treat.  We both had 'food glow' after throwing down our cutlery on cleared plates.

I picked the Choco-Chocolate Chip Praline Cookies to bake as making Candied Pecans has been put off for far too long.  I halved the recipe, used coconut sugar instead of white sugar, and used a mix of gluten free sorghum flour and chickpea flour (2:1).  They where soft and moist.  It was a cool day outside and it was a welcome task that filled my kitchen with warm, candy sweet aromas.  Lovely!

I wanted to make the boozy beans too.  I don't drink, but I hear about ale pies, and stout cake and the like and was curious to how it tasted.  My attempts to track down a gluten free & vegan beer were fruitless.  Unless I wanted to buy a whole case!  I'll try it one day and I'll turn it into a Boozy Bean Pie.  Wish List.

Dishes like Tempeh Gumbo, BBQ 'Pulled' Tempeh & Carrot Sandwiches, Brinner (breakfast for dinner) Grits (grits are a popular Southern dish, ground yellow corn - think polenta), Sweet Potato Hash.  Americans love mixing their sweet and savoury flavours.  Bianca does it in style with a Dijon-Pecan Seitan with Maple Mustard Glaze.

Desserts! man it's got those too.  Lots of peanut butter, cookies, and pie action going on.  

The book is well presented and sectioned into categories like - Come 'n' Get it (simple suppers), All the Fixin's (savoury sides), For the Potluck (casseroles and Pies).

You really feel drawn into Bianca's kitchen, with her mama and me-maw (mama's mama).  Please indulge me a moment of soppiness.....you can feel the love in each dish.  A story frames each one.  It made want to be like Paddington Bear.  Don a label, destination Deep South, and head over to her place!  I dreamed of swinging back and forth on the porch, eating oven-warm, Mississippi Mud Cookies and listening to three generations tell their stories.

I may be doing a bit o' tweakin' to make the recipes gluten free, and sub out a few things here and there, but I'm going to take my time and choose a recipe when the need for soul food strikes. It's it sure to be a lip smackin' education.

My friends, this is a really good recipe book.  Most, if not all of the ingredients can be purchased in the UK.  The only criticism I'd have is that it needs more shots of glorious plates of food to drool over.

India Leigh xx

p.s  If you've got the book already we'd love to know what you've tried and how it turned out.  Go on…leave a comment below.

NEW YEAR GIVEAWAY! - I have two $25 vouchers to help you start your year off right!

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Hannah Kaminsky - My Sweet Vegan

Happy Wishes for 2012  

So, you may have noticed I am digging you quite a lot, and LOVE to give you stuff to help you eat well.   Something you don't know about me is I love to tell people how wonderful you are....when I do, well...they start loving you too.  To prove it, I have not one but two $25 vouchers to give away.

The very lovely (they really are) people from iherb have generously donated 2 lucky people $25 to have a shopping spree at their online store.

iherb have been an online source of vegan goodies both in the US and the UK for a couple of years. I get ridiculously excited, waiting for my package to arrive with treasures from America I might not be able to hunt out in the UK...

Everyone LOVES a bargain and iHerb offer great discounts on supplements, wholefoods, grocery and toiletries.  I was so excited to see that have begun to add books to their product list.  I place two I'd wanted to get my mitts on for a while into my virtual cart.  Both from Hannah Kaminsky.  I was not disappointed.  She is one creative girl.  More than one original creation amused me....Ant Hill Cake, Wasabi cupcakes, she's cooking up some crazy ideas!    Both her books are crammed with tarts, pies, pops, caramels, cupcakes, tray bakes....the list is endless (well, not literally).  Her book Vegan Desserts is sectioned into the four seasons which I've never seen done with desserts before in a cookbook.  Her recipes are easy to follow and could be picked up well by a beginner or experienced cook.   It's my new BFF.

I used some products I'd ordered to test out some of Hannah's recipes. I have never made things like caramel or honeycomb (using the coconut sugar and brown rice syrup) and I felt it a triumph to discover I can make something I'd gone wide eyed for as a child and thought only magicians and dinner ladies could make.  Lots of new recipes to look forward to trialling. Is it wrong that food can make you so happy?!!

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Coconut sugar made from coconut palm nectar.  Reportedly lower in carbs and GI then processed cane sugar.  It has rich, caramely flavours and its high burn point makes it great for candy makers.

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I made vegan sponge sugar/(not)honeycomb...call it what you will.  I coated it in chocolate and it tasted like a Crunchie bar.  My thrill at this achievement burst through my limbs and I was dancing around the kitchen like Queen of the Zumba dance!

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 molten sweetness.  Careful that stuff gets seriously hot!

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Tip* use a candy thermometer and your honeycomb will always turn out right.   Though happy accidents that occur.... because I get all scaredy that it 'gone burn' and take it off the heat too soon.... make caramel.  I used one of Hannah's coconut ice cream recipes to make 'salted caramel' ice cream, using my failed second batch of (not)honeycomb.  Verdict? Hands down the best ice cream I've EVER had!  My friend, who usually only has two descriptive words for food in his vocabulary became very animated about it. 

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salted caramel coconut ice cream.  Made without an ice cream maker....Yes, it is possible AND marvellous.

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I  also ordered Lydia's  Kale-Krunchies-Mega-Green flavour - crispy - good for you - snacks (totally hooked on them!)  and SEASONING: contains a whole manner of crushed seeds and sprouted stuff, carrots, arugula (rocket leaves), dulse to name but a few, that taste so good I am just eating it off a spoon!.  I scrunched up some kale chips, added a few spoons of seasoning and vegan Parmesan and a little water to mix, then stuffed a generously sized Portabello mushroom with the mix.  Let me tell you, they made for harmonious and happy bedfellows.... 



Peanut Flour - only 12% fat. With all the festivities and Xmas baking I have, so far, only used the flour to whip up some 'Chili Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate' which was comforting, malty, chocolate, peanutty goodness in a cup..with a kick.  Wonderful to make whilst thawing out from after a walk in the English drizzle. It replaces the smile winter ran off with.  When I get chance  I will be knocking up a batch of muffins with part peanut flour part gluten free sorghum flour...with some berry of some sort and I'm also thinking gado gado (peanut sauce) stir fry....

If you are interested in trying the products I have reviewed in this post,  please use Coupon Code COF924   to receive $5 off your first order.  But only if you are a first-time iHerb customer.  iHerb do ship outside of the US but please be aware you may have to pay additional customs taxes.

To enter the giveaway, to get your hands on a $25 shopping spree:

The more times/ways you enter the better chance you have of winning. Here's how;

• Please leave a comment in this post telling me your favourite A VEGAN OBSESSION recipe
• LIKE me on my Facebook page AND leave a comment on my WALL telling me why you to want to win.
• Post a TWEET mentioning this GIVEAWAY and @aveganobsession. You could say something like 'I so want to win  $25 vouchers' from @aveganobsession & @iherb

Comment/entries must be made by 8pm GMT on , Friday January 5th 2012 .

Two winners will be randomly selected (using random.org) from the entries/comments received. The winner will be announced on 6th January 2012 in a new blog post. If you are  one of the lucky ones. Please email me your address. The Winners will have 24 hours to respond or new winners will be randomly chosen. PLEASE READ OFFICIAL RULES BELOW BEFORE ENTERING...

Good luck and wishing you a year of fulfilment, happiness, friendship and great health in 2012

x

Official Rules:

Open only to those age 18 and over. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received.
Winners MUST REGISTER to iHerb to claim your prize.

*If you are outside of the US,  by claiming your prize you accept that you are to be responsible for any additional customs taxes and/or duties. IHERB DO NOT SHIP TO ALL COUNTRIES and you may have to pay customs taxes and/or duties  - PLEASE CHECK BEFORE ENTERING THAT YOUR COUNTRY IS LISTED: go to iherb.com, add a product to the shopping cart and click the "Country" drop down menu to see if YOUR country is  listed. If YOU  are an international winner, your prize will be shipped via International Airmail.

CELERIAC GRIDDLE SCONES with roasted leeks and creamy caper sauce - Gluten free

These scones are not like oven scones, they get a really nice golden crust and a richer,  more robust flavour.  I took the inspiration from one of the books I've been flicking through the pages of, at night before I slumber.  The book listed potato scones but I preferred the idea of flavourful celeriac instead. 

Celeriac Griddle Scones - makes 6

500g (small) celeriac - peeled and cut into 2inch (ish) cubes

1/2 cup sorghum flour (juwar)

1 tbs garbanzo flour

1 green (salad) onion finely chopped

1/2 tbs finely chopped rosemary

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp fine ground white pepper

1tbs oil for frying

Method

1. steam the celeriac until soft (retain a little of the cooking water if needed to bind the mix). mash

2. add all the other ingredients, through to the oil for frying, and mix well to form a ball of 'dough'

3. roll out on a floured surface (or grease proof paper...easier to clean up!) to 1/2 inch thick

4. use a pastry cutter or a glass to cut into rounds

5. in a heated and lightly oiled skillet, cook the rounds on each side until lightly browned

6. serve immediately

The scones freeze well.  They are also very nice as a lunch with one of my fabulous-hummus-sisters or as a lid for a vegan pie.

I served with roasted leeks and tomatoes - simply drizzle with a good oil, season and roast.  Simple, silky, and the flavour is intense.

I made a quick caper sauce to pour over my leeks and scones and bring the dish together.

1 tbs vegan butter

1 tbs brown rice flour

1/2 cup vegan milk (I used unsweetened hemp)

2 tbs capers

season with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. melt the butter in a pan and add the flour.

2. stir until the flour is melted ensuring it doesn't burn.

3. slowly pour in the milk whilst stirring constantly

4. simmer for 3-4 minutes.  If it thickens too much add a little more milk.

5. add the capers and heat for a further 30 seconds

6. season to taste

'buttery', crumbly loveliness...



Mushroom & kale stew with Gluten Free herb dumplings

Can you believe it?  I was open mouthed with disbelief today as I  witnessed myself tell a humungous lie to a shop assistant.  'Are you off now to pick up the kids?' she enquired, whilst carefully folding my long receipt into a concertina and handing it to me with a warm smile.  I took a beat to ponder on the cut-off age for wearing red sequine teddy bear hair slides.  She had two, taming a fringe set amidst a bushel of faded coppery hair.  Resembling a singed halo.  She looked like she'd long waved 50 goodbye.   I returned her smile, and concluded any age is ripe for colour and a touch of sparkle.  I leant in..'no, I don't have children, I am going back home to do some baking.  I am very excited'.  I beamed.  AND then I told such a fib.  I couldn't believe what I was hearing, streaming from my lips.  'Yes, I'm testing some recipes'.  'Oh', she said, affording me her total attention. 'Yes....I write cookbooks'.  There it was.... released into the air like a stink bomb.  'Oi', I mentally chided myself before biting back a giggle.  I then basked in the moment as the words took a place in the atmosphere.  I concluded I liked the sound of it.  I took my leave and then pushed my trolley back out into the autumn sun.   I never lie.  They inevitably catch you out at some point.  Acutally my inabilty to lie can be quite a downfall, but I had just told a whopper.  Shame on me!  But I laughed to myself.  Well...I'll just have to make it come true, won't I.  My prayers will be extended tonight as I represent 'thou shalt not tell full fat lies'.

When I got home and unpacked, this is what I prepared (though I didn't deserve it!  Bad girl)..

MUSHROOM & KALE STEW WITH GLUTEN-FREE HERB DUMPLINGS

Recipe adapted from a book I have been reviewing 90 Mouth Watering Recipes for All Occasions)

Serves 4 - marries well with a dollop of creamed mash.

 

I know the ingredients list is of biblical proportions but I promise you it is worth it.

Ingredients

1/4 cup dried mushrooms

1/2 cup Puy lentils

1 vegan stock cube

2 cups chopped chestnut mushrooms (approx 180g)

1 medium onion

1 carrot julienned

3/4 cup frozen peas

1/2 small red bell pepper

2 handfuls of chopped kale

'GRAVY' (for step 4)

2 tsp arrowroot

1 tbs besan/garbanzo flour

1 tbs liquid aminos

2 tsp carob powder or 100% pure dark cocoa powder

1 tbs fruit syrup

2 tbs nutritonal yeast

2 tbs vegan tomato ketchup

1 tbs red wine vinegar

DUMPLINGS

3/4 cup sorghum flour

3/4 cup potato flour

1/4 cup besan flour

1/8 tsp xantham gum

1/2 cup vegan milk (I used coconut milk. It's ok, the coconut flavour doesn't come through)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp Herbamere (herb infused sea salt)

1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs

1 tsp of fresh thyme

1/2 tsp fresh tarragon

2 tsp olive oil

Method

1.put the dried mushrooms and lentils into a large saucepan and add the stock cube and 1 cup of water.  Bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.

2.place all the dumpling ingredients into a bowl and mix.  Divide and roll into a dozen balls.

3.add the remaining vegetables into the pan with the lentils.

4.put all the 'gravy' ingredients into a bowl and mix well.  Slowly add this to the stew, stirring in gently.  This will thicken the stew and deepen the flavours.

5.pop the dumplings ontop of the stew and replace the lid.  Simmer for 25-30 mins until the dumplings are cooked.

Serve  alongside a large spoon of your creamy mash.  Comfort.  On a plate.

A memory of my mums home cooking, made meatless!

Happy Autumn...Fall..whatever you call it wherever you are. x