Fast, Cheap and Good

Kohlrabi and Lime Salad

2026-09-26T19:09:32.606+01:00

We are blessed in having a mighty fine shop in Taunton, Somerset that is supplied by local growers. You can often pick up vegetables that you do not normally find in the supermarkets. Kohlrabi is one of those vegetables that are not so popular in the UK and so I always jump at the chance to pick up a bulb. It is a vegetable that is so delicious raw and goes so well with apples; particularly quite sharp apples.

Ingredients

1 kohlrabi, peeled and cut into 5mm by 5 cm batons (I use a tool that shreds vegetables into batons roughly this size)
1/2 apple, peeled and cut into batons like above
Very small handful of coriander leaves
Very small handful of mint leaves
A few tarragon leaves (you can mix up the herbs and even use parsley)
1 spring onion, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
Pinch of zest from a lime (you can use lemon)
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tbsp rapeseed/vegetable oil (something fairly neutral)
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
Drizzle of sesame seed oil
Salt

Shredding the kohlrabi

Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients apart from the sesame seed oil into a bowl with a good pinch of salt.

2. Mix well and divide into two.

3. Drizzle the sesame seed oil over the top.

Courgettes with Yoghurt

2026-09-12T18:04:14.279+01:00

I have been inspired of late by some some excellent Instagram posts of quick and easy vegetable recipes... this one is a very basic; a base of yoghurt mix with crushed garlic, lemon juice and flat parsley all blended together topped with griddled slices of courgettes. Just top with my seed mix of sesame seeds, linseeds and pumpkin seeds and a sprinkle of parsley. Delicious!

Food and Music - Nuyorican Soul

2026-08-31T16:02:31.093+01:00

In my series of food recipes matching favourite albums of mine I am travelling to New York and Puerto Rico. The 1997 album Nuyorican Soul brought to you by Master At Work; Louie Vega and Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez was a beautiful nod to their musical roots. Masters At Work in the 1990's were the kings of the New York house scene and with this album they mixed house with soul, jazz, Latin vibes and disco.

“We were brought up in a place where we were exposed to hip-hop, Latin music, disco, R&B, classics, and jazz. So our slogan was that we were into all kinds of music. We’ve always taken chances and tried different things, and I think that’s what kept us going and has stopped us getting bored. Nuyorican Soul came from that feeling.” Louie Vega

They brought in an array of fine guest artists such as George Benson, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Roy Ayers, Hilton Ruiz and Vincent Montana Jr; the musicianship on this album is out of this world. From 'I am the Black Gold of the Sun' (a Rotary Connection cover version) to the joyful end track 'You Can Do It (Baby)' is a musical journey through the musical influences of the duo. All I can do is give it a chef's kiss for sheer perfection.

I thought in homage to Masters At Work background that I would take on the dish sanchocho; a highly seasoned dish of potatoes, green pepper, plantain and sweetcorn. The protein I used was tofu that I fried in the air fryer to add some umami to the dish.

Vegan Sancocho

Ingredients

2 tsp sazon seasoning (see below for the recipe)
2 tsp adobo seasoning (see below for the recipe)
1/2 cup sofrito (see below for the recipe)
30 ml olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 pack of tofu, diced (you can use seitan instead but chose to make this gluten free) - I fried my tofu in an air fryer before hand
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 g fresh coriander, chopped
2 tsp / 2 g ground cumin
Just over 1 l vegetable stock
2 medium potatoes, roughly diced
1 medium sweet potato (roughly diced)
1 medium plantain, peeled and cut into 1-2cm slices
3 sweetcorn cobs, cut into 2cm slices
65g tomato paste
30 ml lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Coat the bottom of a large saucepan with the oil and place on a medium heat.

2. Add the onion first and sweat for about 5 minutes and then add the green peppers. Cook and stir for another 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the garlic, coriander, cumin, the sazon and adobe seasoning and cook for a minute.

4. Next add the sofrito mix and give it another stir.

5. Stir in the broth and allow to cook for a minute.

6. Add the potatoes and raise the heat and bring the pot to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.

7. Add the plantain and let it simmer for another 10 minutes.

8. Stir in the sweet corn and tomato paste and continue to simmer for about 7 to 10 minutes. The broth should have thickened slightly and the vegetables will be tender.

9. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls to serve.

The dish is traditional serve with white rice but I decided to be slightly healthier with brown rice.

Sazon

Ingredients

3 tbsp achiote powder
3 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp salt

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients and keep fresh in a jar.

Adobo

Ingredients

3 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp salt

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients and keep fresh in a jar.

Sofrito

Ingredients

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 cups of bell peppers

1 cup coriander

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. In a food processor or blender combine all the ingredients and pulse until all elements are fully combined.

Espinacas con Garbanzos (Spinach and Chickpeas)

2026-08-29T17:17:53.957+01:00

This simple Spanish dish of spinach with chickpeas just has to be the ultimate comfort food. Pairing my favourite pulse with spinach and seasoning with cumin, cayenne and smoked paprika just makes it culinary masterpiece for my taste buds.

Delving into the history of this dish it seems to be born out of the melting pot of Spain's Moorish past in Andalusia. Arab traders brought spinach from Ancient Persia and chickpeas originated in West Asia brought in by the Phoenicians... they both became important ingredients in Moorish and Sephardic Jewish cuisine in Spain.

Espinacas con Garbanzos

Ingredients

500g canned chickpeas

300g fresh spinach

2 thick slices of day old bread (crusts removed and cubed)

15 almonds blanched

60ml tomato sauce

3 garlic cloves chopped

Extra virgin olive oil

30ml sherry or red wine vinigar

1 tsp cumin

Cayenne pepper to taste

1 tsp smoked Spanish paprika

Instructions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan and add the chopped spinach. Stir well until it has wilted.

2. Set the spinach aside and add more olive oil to the pan. Add the cubes of bread and almonds and stir until golden.

3. Add the garlic, cumin, cayenne and black pepper to the bread and almonds and saute for a couple of minutes.

4. Place the bread mixture and sherry/wine vinegar to a blender and blend until a thick paste.

5. Pour the bread paste into the pan and add the chickpeas and tomato sauce. Coat the chickpeas in the sauce.

6. Add the spinach back in the pan and stir gently.

7. Season the ingredients with salt and pepper.

8. To serve place in small dishes, drizzle olive oil over and add a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

World Travels - Egypt

2026-08-15T15:48:47.883+01:00

Whilst perusing recipes online I found this wonderful dish masaqa'a comprising of aubergines and green bell peppers that just happened to be vegan... It is always great to find dishes that you do not have to find alternative ingredients for and know that it is completely authentic. It is very much a staple of Egyptian cuisine and a great alternative to the Greek moussaka. The spices used, cumin and cinnamon remind me of the Lebanese dish Maghmour that I have cooked in the past; so you can see lots of cross-overs between countries.

I roasted some radishes to go with the masaqa'a and served with some shop bought dukkah. I have made the dukkah in the past; that great mix of sesame seeds, cumin, coriander, fennel, and nuts. This a great recipe by Suzy Karadsheh of the Mediterranean Dish that I will try in the future. Adding some green olives and a little salad made for a great little supper dish.

Mesaqa’a

Ingredients

1-2 aubergine
1 green bell peppers
olive oil as needed
1/2 medium yellow onion finely chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 small red or green chili pepper, finely minced or to taste (optional - I left this out).
1 tsp granulated white sugar (optional - again I left this out as I do not like sweet in savoury food)
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp salt
1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tin of plum tomatoes (I break the tomatoes up and take away the skin and top of the tomatoes)
1/2 cup water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200 C / 425 F.
Slice aubergine in 1 cm rounds
De-core the green pepper and cut in quarters.
If using an oven place the aubergine and peppers on a parchment lined baking sheet, and lightly coat with olive oil.
Roast until the aubergine are deeply caramelized and a bit charred- about 45 minutes, turning halfway through. The peppers are roasted until they are charred and soft - about 30 minutes
If you are using an air fryer pop in and coat with olive oil and cook for about 20 minutes... check halfway through and turn.
Whilst the vegetables are roasting you can start on the tomato sauce.
Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and add the onions. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and the chilli peppers in using and cook for about 3 minutes.
Add the tin of plum tomatoes, water, vinegar, cumin, cinnamon and salt.
Bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cook covered for about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.
Once the vegetables and tomato sauce are down in a baking dish place the aubergine slices and tuck in the pepper slices between the aubergine.
Spoon the tomato sauce over the aubergine and place in the pre heated oven.
Bake uncovered until the tomato sauce has darkened and there are some char marks on the exposed vegetables (about 30 minutes).

masaqa'a straight out of the oven

Roasted radishes with dukkah

Food and Music - Natacha Atlas

2026-08-08T00:36:45.126+01:00

I have been delving into my music collection of late; pulling out gems from all over the world and finding inspiration to try new recipes. I thought I would start with the 2001 album by Belgian singer Natacha Atlas - Ayeshteni. She fused electronica, hip hop with Arabic styles derived from her Egyptian heritage into this wonderful blend; Natacha Atlas calls it "cha'abi moderne" (modern folk).

Koshari

Ingredients

Layer 1

2/3 cup long-grain rice (I used basmati rice)
4 tbsp vermicelli
1 onion finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Water to cook the rice and vermicelli

Layer 2

2/3 cup dried brown lentils
1 bay leaf
3 cups water

Layer 3

2/3 cup elbow macaroni (I used ordinary macaroni)
Water to cook the macaroni
Salt for the water

Layer 4

Can of chickpeas or equivalent of cooked chickpeas

Layer 5

1 can of tomatoes
5 garlic cloves minced
½ tbsp coriander powder
½ tbsp cumin powder
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon vinegar

Layer 6

1 large onion thinly sliced
½ teaspoon cornflour
Oil for frying

Koshari Dressing

1 cup water
1-2 tbsp white vinegar (dependent on your taste)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp red chili flakes
3 garlic cloves minced
Salt as per taste

Instructions

1. With the lentil layer (layer 2) wash and soak the lentils for about 15-20 minutes.

2. In a saucepan add the lentils, water, bay leaf and salt. and cook for about 15-20 minutes.

3. Next we go to the onions layers by taking the sliced onion and dusting with the cornflour.

4. Heat oil in a frying pan and add the onions.

5. Stir until the onions are wonderfully cooked and place on kitchen paper once cooked through. Set aside to add to the layers.

6. Next heat up some oil in a frying pan on a low heat and add the minced garlic and allow to cook for a minute.

7. Add the can of tomatoes (I take the skin out and crush the tomatoes before adding to the pan. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes before adding the spices and vinegar.

8. Cook for another 5-10 minutes to combine the flavours. Take off the heat and set aside.

9. Next up is the rice and vermicelli layer. In a saucepan heat the olive oil and add the onion. Once the onion starts to colour add the vermicelli and fry for about 1-2 minutes.

10. Wash the rice, drain the water and add to the saucepan with the onions and vermicelli and fry for about 2-3 minutes. Add water and salt and cook until the rice is cooked (about 10-15 minutes).

11. In another saucepan cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and keep aside.

12. Finally take the chickpeas and warm up in a saucepan or in the microwave.

13. To serve take a serving plate and add the rice and vermicelli layer. Next put the lentil layer on top, followed by the macaroni, chickpeas, tomato sauce and fried onions. Pour the dressing over at the end and serve.

Braised Fennel with Saffron

2026-07-26T18:43:29.114+01:00

I have returned to the excellent book Nistisima by Georgina Hayden to cook this fabulous dish with fennel. It is so delicious and goes well with so many other dishes or just with a few hunks of good bread and a fresh salad. Georgina Hayden's book is a constant inspiration; by taking vegetable dishes from around the Mediterranean that just happen to be vegan and presenting them so beautifully I am so encouraged to dip in and just try!

Ingredients

Pinch of saffron threads

2 fennel bulbs trimmed and quartered

Olive oil

Good handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

2 tbsp harissa paste

Instructions

1. Place the saffron threads in 350 ml of boiled water and set aside.

2. Pick the fennel fronds from the bulbs and set aside for decoration afterwards.

3. Lay the wedges of the quartered fennel in a frying pan and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cook on a medium heat for around 10-15 minutes until lightly brown all over.

4. Pour the saffron water into the pan and turn up the heat to bring to a boil; cover the pan and reduce the heat to low to simmer for 15-20 minutes.

5. When the fennel is cooked through, remove the lid and increase heat to evaporate most of the liquid. Turn the heat off and leave the fennel to cool a little.

6. Spoon the harissa onto a serving plate and lay the fennel wedges on top; spoon over some of the pan juices and top with the fennel fronds and parsley.

World Cup Special - Cabo Verde

2026-07-22T22:35:10.716+01:00

I just had to try the food of Cabo Verde who turned out to be the story of the World Cup this year. Cabo Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha stole the hearts of the world for his sheer dogged resilience; saving goal after goal. Aptly I tried cachupa; the national dish of Cabo Verde. This hearty stew of hominy, beans local vegetables has turned into a symbol of Cape Verdean resilience. It's roots derive from the Portuguese settlers arriving to these uninhabited islands off the coast of West Africa. The islands were heavily used in the transatlantic slave trade and as a consequence bringing in enslaved people from the mainland. With the brutality of enslavers the diet of those enslaved was poor. The use of African staples like beans and cassava and the introduction of crops like corn from the Americas became the mainstay of many Cape Verdeans.

I paired the cachupa with some cassava bread and cassava chips making for a very hearty meal.

Chachupa

Ingredients

700 ml hominy (29 oz can)
425.24 g canned great northern beans (1.5 cups), drained and rinsed - I used cannellini beans as a substitute
1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions , chopped
3 tomatoes , chopped
5 cloves garlic , sliced
1 tsp paprika
1 savoy cabbage , shredded
1 small acorn squash , peeled and cubed, I used a couple of courgettes as I could not obtain a squash… it was a good substitute
water (to cover)

Instructions

In a large saucepan , heat up oil over medium heat and add onion and garlic; saute until soft.
Add paprika, potatoes, acorn squash or courgettes, hominy, great northern beans, shredded savoy cabbage and chopped tomatoes.
Add water to cover and bring to a simmer, stirring ingredients together once in a while. Cook for about 1 — 1 1/2 hours, or until all the ingredients are tender.
Serve with bread.

Mandioca Frita

The cassava fries can be served with tomato ketchup or a garlicky-mayonnaise that you dip the fries in. I chose to make a garlic mayonnaise using vegan mayonnaise of course.

Ingredients

900g / 2 lb yuca cassava (I used some frozen cassava that had already been cut)
1-2 tablespoons coarse sea salt plus more for sprinkling
3 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 tbsp chopped coriander to sprinkle over the top

Garlic Mayonnaise

¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1-2 teaspoons fresh chopped coriander
juice from ½ lime
salt and back pepper to taste

Instructions

Fill a large saucepan with water and add 1-2 tbsp of salt. Bring to a boil over a high flame.
While the water comes to a boil, prepare the cassava/yuca if using from fresh. Cut the ends off each cassava/yuca, then cut them into thirds. Slice each round down the middle using a sharp kitchen knife. Use the blade of your knife to lift the skin from the flesh, then cut the cassava/yuca into strips. If you are using frozen then just cut into large chip size strips.
Once the water boils, place the cassava/yuca fries in the salted water and cook for 10-15 minutes; just until they are tender but still firm. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Heat 2-3 cm of oil in a frying pan with deep sides. Once the oil is hot fry the drained cassava/yuca fries in batches of 5 or 6 at a time. They generally take 3-5 minutes to become crispy. Remove the fries from the oil once they turn golden-brown in colour.
For the garlic mayonnaise simply add all the indgredient togther.
Sprinkle the fries with coarse sea salt and fresh chopped coriander(optional). Serve with ketchup or garlic-mayonnaise for dipping.

Cassava Bread

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1/2 cup cassava flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1-2 tbsp ground flax seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.

2. Mix the flour and cassava flour in a bowl.

3. Add the baking powder to the bowl and combine with the flour mix.

4. Add the flax seed 'egg' (soak the ground flax seeds in a little water and leave for about 10 minutes) and slowly add the water to achieve a dough.

5. Place the dough in a bread tin (I lined mine with parchment paper) and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

6. Allow to cool and enjoy!

World Cup Special - Iraq

2026-07-12T19:34:08.468+01:00

It was great to see Iraq back in the World Cup (last seen in Mexico in 1986) and it seemed apt to celebrate with dolma; vegetables stuffed with rice and usually meat. With my version I decided to use smoked tofu as my protein. Dolma has it's roots in Ottoman cuisine and whereever the Ottoman's were you will find some version of dolma. There seem to be versions from Romanian and Hungary in the west to Iran in the east. So I suspect that I might be cooking some variations of this. Word of warning this is quite a laborious dish to make but it is so worth it.

Dolma

Ingredients

For the stuffing mixture:

335g Smoked tofu cubed
400g / 2 cups medium grain rice (I use basmati rice)
4 tbsp tomato paste , equivalent to 156 ml
40ml / 0.17 cup pomegranate molasses
1.5 small onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 red or orange bell peppers
60ml/ 0.25 cup olive oil
1.5 tsp salt
Good grind of black pepper

For the vegetables:

1.5 aubergine, medium sized aubergine
1 courgette
4 shallots
2 red peppers, small
10 grape/swiss chard/cabbage leaves
Good glug of olive oil for the bottom of the saucepan

For the cooking liquid:

600ml/ 2.5 cups water
2 tbsp tomato paste
0.5 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper
31 ml / 0.13 cup pomegranate molasses

Instructions

For the stuffing mixture:

Start by finely dicing the onions and red peppers and mincing the garlic
Wash the rice well until the water runs clear and drain
Mix together the all the ingredients for the stuffing( tofu, rice, vegetables, garlic, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, oil, salt and pepper). Use your hands and mix until very well combined and then set aide.

Preparing the vegetables:

For the aubergine: cut the aubergine into 2 to 3 pieces.
Using a sharp pairing knife, place the aubergine on a cutting board sideways with your hand on top. Start coring around the inside of the aubergine, going around and around and slowly inserting the knife in deeper as you go around. Do this until you reach the other side or until you can use your fingers to scoop out the flesh. If you don’t get it all out, keep using your knife to cut away the flesh. You can also insert your knife from the other side to help loosen the flesh further.
For the courgette start by scraping away the skin using a sharp knife, then trim the ends. Cut the courgette into 3 pieces then core using the same method as the aubergine
For the pepper carefully cut around the stem and remove it, then using your fingers, remove the inner seeds and any white parts. You can use a small knife to get in there and loosen them
For the onion first peel the onion, then dig around the end where the root was and carve it out slightly (this helps separate the layers). Make a long cut lengthwise all the way to the centre – do not cut past the centre. Then microwave the onions for 1 minute to soften the layers slightly (you can also boil for a minute). Wait for it to cool, then use your fingers to carefully dislodge the layers and pop them out
For the swiss chard or cabbage : before stuffing, wash the leaves well and then submerge in a bowl of boiling water for 3 seconds. Remove them and place them on a tray. This helps wilt the leaves and makes them more pliable for stuffing. Then, cut the thick stems off the leaves, and cut the leaf into 2 or 3 pieces, depending on the size.
For the grape leaves: grape leaves come in jars submerged in water . Generally the leaves are salted, so before using them, soak them in water for at least an hour to get rid of excess salt, then wash them a few times and drain. You can squeeze them carefully to get rid of excess water.
Stuffing the vegetables and stacking:
Start by adding 1/4 olive oil to the bottom of the pot, then line the bottom with the flesh of the aubergine and courgette that you carved out
Then stuff the “rigid” vegetables first: aubergine, courgette and pepper. Fill them 3/4 of the way because the rice will expand during cooking. Stack the aubergine and courgette together so they remain in place
Then stuff the onions and squeeze them into all the empty spots
Finally stuff the swiss chard/cabbage/grape leaves and use them to fill in all the cervices and tightly pack everything in.
To roll the leaves, place a small amount in the middle of the leaf. Fold the sides over, then roll the leaf keeping a tight grip. Place in the pot seam side down

Cooking the dolma:

Prepare the cooking liquid by mixing all the ingredients together well until the tomato paste has dissolved (you can use hot water to help this)
Pour the liquid into the saucepan gently ensuring it goes all the way up to half way through the top layer. Don’t completely submerge the top layer.
Place a flat plate on top of the pot to keep everything in place
Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil on high heat for 15 minutes. Then, taste and adjust the seasoning of the liquid (add more salt or acid if you need to).
After 15 minutes, remove the plate and give the pot a jiggle to help the water travel downwards. Decrease the heat to medium and allow it to cook for another 15 minutes
Finally, decrease the heat to low and cook for 1 hour. Taste it after the hour and make sure all the vegetables are really soft
Allow the dolma to stand for 10-15 minutes, then flip it into a round metal tray with raised sides. If you don’t have a round platter or tray, you can use a spoon to spoon the dolma into a platter. This was my method as the saucepan was far too heavy.
Dig in and enjoy!

Courgettes With Dill

2026-07-05T23:16:00.000+01:00

Inspired by the fabulous feast at the Velvet Garden Summer Solstice party I was sought out a recipe for one of the dishes we had; courgettes with dill.

Courgettes With Dill

Ingredients

2 courgettes sliced
Olive oil
1 shallot cut into half moon slices
1 garlic clove crushed
Handful Dill/Parsley
1/2 tin tomatoes

Instructions

Pan fry the courgette slices gently in a little oil olive. (Just lightly cooked so they have a bit of colour)
Set aside the courgettes
In the same pan fry the onion and after about 10 minutes add the garlic.
Fry the garlic for about a minute and then add back in the courgette.
Add the tomatoes and cook the courgettes through.
Add some chopped dill and fold in.
Serve with some fresh dill on top..

(I paired the courgettes with some potatoes (crisped up in the air fryer), a lovely green salad and a dollop of yoghurt.)

World Cup Special - Uzbekistan

2026-07-04T22:55:18.373+01:00

I always try and find recipes during the World Cup from countries that I would never normally think of. With Uzbekistan qualifying for the world cup this year I knew I had to try some recipes from this area. I happened across this colourful dish Shivit Oshi with it's bright green noodles made with dill and rich topping and knew I had to adapt it; normally it is topped with a meat and vegetables. The dish's origin can be traced from the ancient Silk Road city of Khiva. This central Asian region saw the exchange of not just silks and spices, but a diversity of ideas and philosophies. Perhaps it was this confluence of ideas and goods that led to people of Khiva producing this bright green noodle; a recipe from China that flavoured noodles with spinach; that is what Anna Ansari author of Silk Roads: A Flavor Odyssey with Recipes from Baku to Beijing proposes.

I took Anna Ansari's recipe and attempted to veganise it... a tall order for this meat heavy dish. I thought if I used soya chunks then perhaps some of the 'meatiness' might prevail... I was sadly a little disappointed. Next time I will use lions mane mushrooms which might add the correct texture and add umami.

Vegan Dill Noodles

Ingredients

2 cups/ 240g '00'flour
1 cup/50g dill (very large handful of dill)
1⁄2 cup / 100ml water
1⁄4 tsp turmeric
1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄8 tsp black salt
1⁄3 cup / 78ml reduced aquafaba (originally 3/4 cup / 177 ml) - one can of chickpeas can produced 3/4 cup of aquafaba
2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

In a blender place the dill and the water and blitz until fully mixed.
Set aside the dill and water for at least an hour to allow the dill time to infuse with the water. (Whilst this is infusing you can start on the topping below.)
Combine the dry ingredients (flour, turmeric, salt and black salt) in large bowl.
Make a well in the centre.
Add the reduced aquafaba and olive oil.
Slowly add the dill infused water about tablespoon at a time and combine the ingredients.
Gently knead the dough until it forms into a ball, adding more of the dill infused water. Your dough should feel pretty stiff. You may need to add some more water if you run out of the dill infused water.
Let the dough rest for at least one hour in the fridge.
Roll the dough out into 3mm/ 1/8″ thickness. Cut the noodles into 25mm / 1″ strips or if you prefer thinner 6mm / 1/4″. I used a pasta maker that made the process so much quicker.
Twist the noodles twice and place on a baking sheet to air dry for 30 – 60 minutes.
Cook immediately or freeze for later use.

Shivit Oshi

Ingredients

75g / 2-3oz soya chunks
250ml / 1 cup vegetable stock
1½ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
2 garlic cloves, minced
Couple of dashes of vegan Worcestershire sauce
200g / 7oz bell peppers (colour of your choosing), cut into 2cm / ¾" (2 cm) pieces
1–2 spicy chilies (such as jalapeños), seeded and minced (optional)
½ tsp hot or sweet smoked paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp tomato paste
250ml (1 cup) milk
200g / 7oz tomatoes, roughly diced (I used tinned tomatoes)
300g / 10oz waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm / ¾" pieces
200g / 7oz carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm / ¾" pieces
plain yogurt, to serve (I used an oat yoghurt)

Instructions

Rehydrate the soya chunks in the vegetable stock. Let is soak for about 30 minutes.
In a frying pan add some of the olive oil and add the rehydrated soya chunks and fry them for about 10 minutes. Remove the soya chunks and set aside.
Add some more olive oil to the pan and add the onion. Cook for about 5-7 minutes.
Add the garlic, peppers and chillies and stir to combine the ingredients.
Stir in the paprika, cumin and tomato paste.
Add the potatoes, and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes.
Pour the milk in gradually and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the soya chunks back in with the tomatoes and cook for a further 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
Unlike the meat version you do not need to cook the dish for quite as long.
Once at the end of the cooking of the vegetables add the dashes of Worcestershire sauce.
To cook the noodles boil a large saucepan of water with salt. Once the water is boiling add your noodles and allow to cook (they should only take about 3-4 minutes).
Serve the noodles with the vegetables on top, a sprinkle of fresh dill and a large dollop of yoghurt.

Chido Wey

2026-06-30T17:08:00.000+01:00

Good Mexican restaurants are rare in the UK... Whilst I mostly enjoy the chain Wahaca it is good to find an independent restaurant that just does Mexican food well. Often you are faced with lacklustre flour tortillas that mush the flavours together but Chido Wey is far from that... you can get freshly made corn tortillas with some great fillings. Coupled with a cheeky tequila cocktail I was in heaven.

Señor Bean - corn tortilla, black beans, chido wey sauce, chipotle, fried onion, red cabbage, coriander, Jalapeño

Paloma Faith - tequila, grapefruit, habanero, lemon

World Cup Special - Côte d'Ivoire

2026-06-28T16:27:04.450+01:00

When searching for some recipes for Côte d'Ivoire that were plant based it seemed obvious to go for some plantain and cassava dishes.... I was going to use attiéké (an Ivorian version of couscous using cassava) but found a recipe for placali instead that I just had to try. .

Now, you might be looking at my version of placali and say it looks nothing like how it should - take a look here . It was all a bit of disaster really... placali is made from cassava flour and you prepare it like polenta... stir in the flour into boiling water and keep stirring. I failed to get the lumps out and maybe put too much water in so the consistency was all wrong. I could not form into balls and instead got this gloopy mess. The placali still went well with the aubergine dish with the spicy fried plantain on the side it did make for an interesting meal. The best part was the bissap (a drink made from hibiscus flowers) that had a great sharpness that cut through the rather sticky placali.

Clockwise: Placali, vegan aubergine sauce, fried plantain with peanuts and pistachio nuts.

Bissap

Ingredients

1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
2 l water
½ cup sugar
½ cup fresh mint leaves
2-3 cm fresh ginger (remove skin)
1 tsp vanilla extract (I left this out to suit my taste)

Instructions

Rinse the dried hibiscus flowers with cold water to remove any dust.
Combine the flowers and water in a large pot and bring to a boil,
Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the water is deep red.
Remove from the heat and add the mint leaves, the cubes of ginger , and vanilla (if using).
Cover and let it steep for 10-20 minutes.
Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a container, discarding the flowers and ginger.
Stir in the sugar whilst the liquid is still warm, and adjust to taste. If you want it sweeter add a little more sugar
Allow the mixture to cool, and put in the fridge for about 2 hours. You can serve the drink over ice.

Fried plantain with bissap

Fried Plantain with Roasted Nuts

Ingredients

1 plantain peeled and sliced (1 cm wide)
200ml vegetable oil
1 small handful salted peanuts
1 small handful pistachio nuts shelled
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 small chunk fresh ginger finely grated
1 tsp sea salt flakes

Instructions

Place a heavy bottomed frying pan on a medium high heat and add the nuts. Move them around from time to time, so that they do not burn.
Once the nuts are toasted turn off the heat and set aside.
Use a wok to slowly heat enough vegetable oil to fry the plantain.
In a bowl add all the spice mix (cayenne pepper, fresh ginger and salt) and then the sliced plantain.
Mix the plantain around in the spice mix.
Get the oil in the wok hot enough to fry, and using a slotted spoon, dip one of the plantain slices; if you get an instant reaction, it is ready to cook the plantain. In batches, lower in enough plantain so they are not overcrowded and cook for about 4-5 minutes - they should be golden once cooked.
On a plate, place a few layers of kitchen towel and using a slotted spoon, fish out the plantain and place on the plate to drain.
Place on a dish and scatter with the roasted nuts.

Fried plantain with roasted nuts

Vegan Aubergine Sauce

Ingredients

9 yellow aubergines - halved
2 purple aubergines - peeled and diced
4 tomatoes
3 onions - peeled and sliced into half moon shape
6 garlic cloves - diced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 carrots - diced
handful of Akpi (a seed from West Africa) or egusi seeds
1 tbsp fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 chillies
1 handful shredded cabbage
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 kable (you can use basil if you cannot find kable)
water - to consistency of choice

Instructions

In a heavy bottomed saucepan heat the vegetable oil (I used rapeseed oil) gently.
Add the onions and the aubergines to the oil and cook gently for about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and water to the pot and cook until the aubergine is tender. Set aside to cool.
Blend the aubergine mixture until smooth. I used an immersion blender that worked quite well.
Toast the akpi for 3 mins in a dry pan and grind it into a powder. This works as well if you are using egusi seeds. Both ingredients are useful to thicken the stew.
In a separate pan sautée the cabbage, garlic and carrots for 10 mins in the vegetable oil.
Add the tomato paste to the sautéed vegetables and mix well. Cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Stir in the aubergine mixture and then the akpi/egusi powder.
Add the spices of choice and the kable/basil and cook for another 5-10 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
Serve with the placali

Vegan aubergine sauce

Placali

Ingredients

2 cups of cassava flour
4 cups of water
Salt to taste (I used vegetable stock to impart more flavour)

Instructions

Begin by boiling the water in a large saucepan.
In a separate bowl, mix the cassava flour with a pinch of salt or vegetable stock powder.
Once the water is boiling, gradually add the cassava flour mixture while stirring continuously to avoid lumps. This is a difficult task that I failed miserably at… I could not get the flour ‘bubbles’ out to ensure all the flour combined with water.
Continue to stir until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the saucepan; about 10-15 minutes. This is a real workout on your arms as you try to stir the gradually thickening mixture.
Once cooked, remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
Shape the placali into small balls. To do this wet your hands in cold water and scoop out a ball. You should be able to shape the scoop into a ball.

Placali

Velvet Garden Summer Solstice Party

2026-06-27T01:20:22.400+01:00

The pop up restaurant Velvet Garden have produced a wonderful feast to celebrate the summer solstice with live music, and amazing vegan food. I particularly enjoyed the stewed courgettes with dill and the lentil and chickpea kibbeh barbequed to perfection. It is mostly locally sourced or straight from the allotment; so fresh.

Butter bean hummus with broad beans appetiser

Whipped vegan feta and charred tomato appetiser

Plating up

Yoghurt, tomato salsa, hummus, chips, kibbeh, french beans, courgettes with dill, fresh slaw

Tucking into the gorgeous flavours

Strawberries and meringue

World Cup Special - Curaçao

2026-06-22T21:16:00.000+01:00

It is World Cup time again! I was very excited to learn that there were 48 teams playing this year; so more options to try out recipes from even more countries. Sadly we had to whittle it down somewhat but hopefully we can try out some really intriguing recipes. We are starting in Curaçao; an island nation comprising of 155,826 inhabitants (2023 census). It's culinary culture is shaped by Arawak heritage, the colonial influences of Spain and Holland and the legacy of the enslaved African peoples.

This time around I am trying to consider items to drink along with the food recipes... so I investigated what drinks were popular in Curaçao; I discovered this lime drink that was so simple to make - Awa di Lamunchi that was so amazingly cooling on these hot June days we are experiencing in the UK. I paired this with a hearty red kidney bean stew and some great cornmeal fries seasoned with cheese.

Awa di Lamunchi

Ingredients

4-5 limes (juiced)
100 g sugar
1 ltr water

Instructions

Boil the 100g of sugar with a small portion of the water until the sugar is dissolved.
Mix the lime juice, syrup and the rest of the cold water.
Chill and serve with ice cubes and lime slices.

Bonchi Kòrá

This is no-meat version of Bonchi Kòrá (Caribbean Red Kidney Bean Stew) which is a popular dish, often found in Dutch Caribbean cuisine as a vegan alternative. Usually with stewed meat adding some mushrooms adds that umami.

Ingredients

2-3 cans (400g/540g each) of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion (chopped),
3 cloves garlic (minced),
2 celery stalks (chopped),
1 carrot (chopped)
Mushrooms- just a couple for umami, roughly chopped
1 yellow or green plantain (sliced)
1 can (400 ml) coconut milk, plus 300-500 ml water
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp vegetable stock

Instructions

In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp of oil over medium heat.
Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and mushrooms and sauté until soft.
Add the drained can of kidney beans, coconut milk, and water to the pot.
Stir in the spices (thyme, nutmeg, cumin, paprika, bay leaves) and the vegetable stock.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let it simmer for about 30 minutes to allow flavours to merge.
Mash about half of the beans with a potato masher or spoon to make the stew thick and creamy.
Add the sliced plantains and cook for an additional 10–15 minutes to allow the plantains to cook through.
Remove from heat and garnish with fresh coriander or parsley.

This stew is traditionally served with funchi (cornmeal mush) or rice.

Funchi Fries

Ingredients

2 cups of cornmeal
5 cups of water
½ cup of vegan cheese (I used the amazing MinerThreat from I Am Nut Ok)
⅓ cup of dairy free butter
1 tsp vegetable stock
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried thyme

Instructions

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside
Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan.
Slowly add the cornmeal to the boiling water while stirring vigorously at the same time so lumps aren't formed.
Lower the heat to medium and stir in the cheese, butter and seasoning.
Continue to stir the cornmeal for 15 minutes. At this point the mixture will thicken to the point where it will pull away from the side of the saucepan into a ball; that's when it's ready.
Quickly transfer the funchi into the baking tray (1inch/2-3 cm deep)
Spread/evenly distribute the funchi mixture.
Allow to cool completely and then refrigerate for 1 hour.
As the funchi is left to chill, preheat the oven to 200 C
Remove from the refrigerator and tip out onto a chopping board.
Cut the funchi horizontally in half then into vertical strips - mine looked like really chunky chips.
Prepare the baking tray with new sheet of baking paper and place the funchi fries on the tray.
Coat them each evenly with olive oil.
Bake until the exterior is golden and crispy; roughly about 30-40 minutes turning the fries half way through cooking

Curaçao Cucumber & Tomato Salad (De Fles Salad)

Ingredients

½ large cucumber (peeled, seeded and cubed)
3 medium tomatoes (cubed)
1 garlic clove (minced)
4 basil leaves (thinly sliced)
4 mint leaves (thinly sliced)
1 lime (juiced)
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

Instructions

Combine the cucumber, tomatoes and herbs together.
In a small bowl whisk the lime juice, oil and salt.
Pour over the salad just before serving.

World Travels - Iraq

2026-06-21T17:08:20.816+01:00

Little did I know until I investigated further that this Iraqi dish I found on Instagram was in fact a take on an Iraqi-Jewish Shabbat dish. Normally this consists of chicken with spiced rice designed to be simmered from Friday afternoon until Saturday lunch. T'beet comes from the Arabic word tabayit, which means 'to stay overnight' which describes just how the dish is made. The cauliflower is not cooked for quite as long. The substitution of cauliflower for chicken just seems to work well with that blend of the Baharat , tomatoes, onions and date syrup. This is a great dish to prepare and bosh in the oven... so simple.

Gathering the ingredients for the sauce; garlic, tomato paste, olive oil and the spices - plus the amazing date syrup from Basra which I found in my local shop down the road!

Assembling the cauliflower, onions and basmati rice (I used some brown basmati rice that worked really well)

Adding the cauliflower, onions and basmati rice to the baking dish

Pouring in the red sauce

The final dish out of the oven

I served the cauliflower with a simple salad, olives and some yoghurt

Simple green salad with parsley, rocket, and a mixed seed mix on top.

I found this great album on Qobuz in my search for Iraqi music. Nazem Al Ghazali - Al Aroussa Al Arabia.

White Post Cafe

2026-06-03T19:00:00.000+01:00

I am lucky to have such a great cafe nearby with the White Post Cafe at Langford Budville. They sell brunch type food but it is never boring.

With the rain pouring outside (it is May but still so cold) I welcomed the Spring Green Soup with a thick slice of sourdough. Delicious!

Bedouin

2026-05-31T18:48:00.000+01:00

Mint tea @ Bedouin

I was so lucky to come across Bedouin on my last day in Cambridge... a north african restaurant on Mill Road.

I was wondering if I was going to find anything on the menu for a vegan but they had some excellent starter dishes that were so flavourful.

I started with Chorba Hamra - a fresh tomato based soup with chickpeas, vermicelli and coriander... something I have cooking for myself off and on since. It was so delicious.

Chorba Hamra

Next I had oven roasted aubergine marinated with chilli, garlic and coriander; covered with a tahini dressing, pomegranate and toasted sesame seeds.

Betenjal Bel Tahina

The Hobson

2026-05-30T18:35:00.000+01:00

The Hobson restaurant Oz & Isles

Back in March I visited Cambridge; staying at the Hobson hotel. I initially was not going to eat at the hotel's restaurant Oz & Isles but after a rather tiring day exploring I decided to try it out. I was not disappointed. The hotel used to be a police station and restaurant was situated in what would have been a courtyard I believe. The courtyard had been covered and this beautiful space created.

I spent a pleasant couple of hours sipping wine, and eating this devine dish of miso glazed celeriac and a light salad.

Miso glazed celeriac

East Quay Kitchen

2026-05-27T18:14:00.000+01:00

East Quay, Watchet

The first good day after a very wet winter I travelled to Watchet in West Somerset... Watchet is blessed with this wonderful art venue; East Quay. With galleries, places to stay overnight, a paper maker and artists studios it is a great place to potter around.

It also has a great cafe; East Quay Kitchen.

Roasted cauliflower with chilli crisps

Now my eyes always light up when I see cauliflower on the menu and this saffron roasted cauliflower was gorgeous. The tahini dressing gave a creaminess and the chilli crisps just gave the right amount of punch. Something I am going to take away and cook at home.

World Travels - Maqluba

2026-05-25T18:30:00.000+01:00

I am back in Lebanon for my world travels series; just trying some recipes from all over the world, seeking out recipes that have been converted already or I can easily convert to being vegan.

Maqluba is normally made with layers of meat with vegetables with rice that you flip from the pan onto the plate. It look fabulous; this pile of fragrant rice with aubergine, potato and peppers topped with pinenuts and usually almonds (I used hazelnuts).

I found the recipe on the excellent website Plant Based Folk and with a few tweeks produced this.

I served the maqluba with just a simple salad of cucumber and a green salad.. perfect for a summers day.

Velvet Garden Winter Festive Dinner

2026-05-23T18:19:00.000+01:00

The star dish for me - confit leeks, leek cream, walnut crumb, thyme butter, leek ash

A bit of a late posting.... going to the Velvet Garden Winter Festive Dinner was such an experience. A 5 course meal of beautifully cooked vegetables; inventively cooked with stunning presentation. Every dish was exquisite but the real star plate for me was the confit leeks; the thyme just went so well with the leeks... will try and re-create as some point. I even loved the parsnip dish (one of my least favourite vegetables being so sweet); the ras el hanout mayo just made it.

The astonishing fact is that was all vegan and gluten free.

Beautifully laid festive table

Roasted cauliflower, cauliflower and dabinett cider cream, blackberry balsamic, parsnip crisps

Parsnip fritters, pear chutney, ras el hanout mayo

Confit leeks, leek cream, walnut crumb, thyme butter, leek ash

Wild mushroom stuffing, smoked celeriac puree, roasted onion puree, sauteed kalettes, crispy oyster mushrooms, pickle red cabbage, porcini gravy

Spiced date pudding, apple compote, amaretto caramel, almond french meringue, whipped yoghurt

Pip's Railway Carriage

2026-05-20T23:34:00.000+01:00

Inside the bus

It had been a long time since going to Pip's Railway Carriage in Lopenhead, South Petherton, Somerset. Last time I booked one of the railway carriages but this time we managed to snag a table on the double decker bus.

The food was scrummy as always and a vegetable lover's dream. Beautifully seasoned kale with a sort of peanut crumb and roasted cabbage (one of my new favourites). The roasted cabbage was served with a truffle crumb that made the humble vegetable rich and unctious. Well worth a visit.

Yummy kale with a peanut crumb and roasted cabbage with a truffle crumb

World Travels - Sudan

2026-05-17T15:58:01.787+01:00

From the top clockwise - Kisra, Mullah Aswad Bel Dakwa, Mullah Warag,

Mullah Amer

Kisra (Sorghum ‘Pancakes’)

This is a thin pancake like bread unique to Sudan. Typically made from sorghum flour but can be made from millet flour, corn flour or ordinary wheat flour. You ferment the sorghum batter for up to 3 days and then spread the batter wafer thin onto a cooking surface. The results are thin sheets of a mildly tangy bread that go so well with the stews… Mine were not quite so thin with the limited special utensils. I used my new chapati pan but still did not manage that wafer thin perfection. The recipe I used utilised yoghurt to act as a fermenting agent… I swapped in for kimchi ‘juice’ that perhaps did not have the desired effect.

This is a great video on how to truly make them.

Here is the recipe that I used (omitting the yoghurt) - https://www.sudanese.kitchen/recipe/kisra

Kisra

Mullah Ahmer (Red Stew)

Mullah Ahmer or Red Stew is soup normally made with beef and tomatoes. I took the recipe from https://www.sudanese.kitchen/recipe/red-stew and swapped the beef for red lentils…this goes so well with kisra.

Mullah Ahmer

Ingredients

2 small or 1 large red onion, finely chopped

100ml vegetable oil

150 g dried red lentils

4 tbsp tomato paste

1 tin of tomatoes, blended

2-3 tbsp ground coriander

4-5 tbsp ground okra

3-4 crushed garlic cloves

1 tbsp marmite (my addition to add some extra umami)

Instructions

Cook the red lentils with some water for about 15 minutes (you are looking for a soup like consistency).
In a separate pan fry the onion and add the cooked lentils.
Add the blended tomatoes and tomato puree. Add some water if it is too thick.
Stir in the marmite.
Reduce the heat and add the coriander and seasoning. Let it cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the ground okra if you can source it and the garlic. Stir well.

Mullah Aswad Bel Dakwa (Aubergine and Peanut Stew)

Ingredients

1 Aubergine - chopped into large cubes

1 onion, finely chopped

Cumin

Nutmeg

Paprika

Cinnamon

Allspice

1-2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 lime, juiced

2-3 tbsp peanut butter

1 tbsp vegetable stock (or 1 stock cube)

1 tbsp ground okra

Instructions

Fry the chopped onion in a large saucepan and season with cumin, nutmeg, paprika, cinnamon and allspice.
Once the onion is caramelised add the chopped aubergine and fold into the onions.
Keep turning the aubergine for even cooking.
Make a paste from the peanut butter, loosen with the lime juice and add the grated ginger and a little water.
Season the paste with salt, pepper, cumin, nutmeg, paprika, cinnamon and allspice.
Once the aubergine is seared add water and some vegetable stock. Allow to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the peanut paste and stir gently.
Allow to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the ground okra (or corn flour if you cannot get the ground okra). The ground okra is a thickener.
After a bit of stir it is ready to serve.

Mullah Aswad Bel Dakwa

Mullah Warag (Black-Eyed Pea Leaf Stew - substituting Spinach)

This is essentially a lamb stew with the black-eyed pea leaves. So I obviously left out the meat and added smoked rapeseed oil and vegetable stock to intensify the flavours. I could not source the black-eyed pea leaf so substituted spinach instead.

Ingredients

2 to 3 onions, finely chopped

500g spinach, coarsely chopped

1 tsp vegetable stock

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tsp ground coriander

Ground pepper to taste

Instructions

Gently fry the chopped onions in a saucepan until translucent.
Add black pepper, and ground coriander and stir.
Add the spinach and a little stock and cook for about 10 minutes (it will not need very long).
Keep the stew loose with more stock if needed.
Blend the spinach and add the crushed garlic that had been fried.

Sharhabil Ahmed - The King of Sudanese Jazz (Habibi Funk 013)

Akub

2026-02-02T22:58:00.004+00:00

It was magical to return to Akub; the most divine restaurant in Notting Hill serving tempting Palestinian dishes. I was blown away by the non-alcoholic cocktails.. I had the Tamarind Fizz - an unusual combination of tamarind, lime juice, orange blossom and ginger ale with a bay leaf... just have to try it at home.

Zahra Fritters, Aubergine Fatteh and arabic bread

The zahra fritters was a morerish bite of cauliflower accompanied by coriander tahinia and marinated sumac onions...

aubergine fatteh

I had to go with the aubergine fatteh; a beautiful dish of gently fried aubergines in a spiced tomato sauce topped with shredded focaccia and garlicky yoghurt.

Mousabaha

And finally the mousabaha... chickpeas (my absolute favourite) with a tahinia sauce, lemon, parsley and almonds... I had to roll out of the restaurant so replete; remembering the myriad of flavours... I just need to go back - soon!