Veggie Curry

My lovely friend Freya has many excellent qualities but she can be tricky to cook for! I have to make sure I think through a meal if she's coming for supper as she is a very un-fussy eater but is vegetarian and unfortunately can't eat cheese. This shouldn't be an issue but you'd be amazed at how many veggie meals include cheese in some way, shape or form. Previously this would have meant Quorn but since going clean and lean it's off the menu for me as it contains wheat and is pretty processed. This means I have to be a bit more thoughtful in my meal preparation. I often end up going for some kind of spicy meal as I know she is as much of a chilli fiend as I am.

Today this means curry - one of my favourite curries to make at home is a chickpea and veg one so this seemed the perfect opportunity to make one. I also look to Madhur Jaffrey for inspiration so the start of this recipe is borrowed from her wonderful Curry Bible book. After the first few steps I've done my typical wondering off into my own territory! I've served this curry with basmati rice with peas and a bit of spicy mango chutney (not strictly clean and lean I know but I love it!) - you could also go with a cauliflower rice if you are trying to lower your carbs.

Chickpea, Spinach and Potato Curry

Ingredients:

1.5 onions, peeled and cut into chunks

4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled

Mix of dried and fresh chilli - this varies each time I make this depending on what I have available but this time it was 5 small whole dried chillies (grown by my mum!) and one whole fresh red chilli

1 tbsp hot curry powder (I used madras)

1 heaped tsp dried cumin (ideally use whole cumin then toast and grind it but I am lazy and used ready ground - if you have the patience I'd recommend whole)

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp coconut oil

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

Handful small new potatoes halved

Lots of frozen spinach - mine comes in rounds and I used about 8 of these

Tin of chickpeas with liquid

Approximately 1/2 to 2/3 jar of passata

Squeeze of tomato puree

Fresh coriander

Method

Heat a frying pan with coconut oil, while this is warming blitz the onion, garlic and chilli in a food processor with a splash of water, once smooth add to the pan.

Fry for 5-6 minutes then add in your spices and a good pinch of salt.

Stir through then add your potatoes (sweet and new), chickpeas, spinach, passata and tomato puree. Rinse the chickpea tin and passata jar with a bit of water and add this to the pan too. Cover and let it bubble away for about 30 minutes.

Check your potatoes and depending on how reduced the liquid is you might need to take the lid off and let it bubble away for another 15 minutes or so to thicken. While this is happening I would normally cook my rice. At this point add some finely chopped coriander stalks retaining the leaves to add just before serving.

Once the sauce has reduced add some chopped coriander leaves, season to taste with salt and pepper then serve up.

Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese Risotto

You will have already noticed from previous posts I am a bit addicted to rice and especially to risotto. This is a really hearty and filling dish as well as being full on comfort food - the creaminess of risotto is amped up with smooth butternut squash and extra creamy blue cheese! I did this with frozen butternut squash but it would work equally well with fresh. I also would normally have put a bit of onion or shallot at the beginning of the risotto section but I didn't have any as this was being made from the last few bits and pieces I had in the fridge.

This dish (as with almost all of my recipes) will serve 4-6 depending on portion sizes but in our case it serves two for dinner with leftovers for lunchboxes/salads etc.

Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese Risotto

Ingredients:

500g frozen butternut squash
5-6 garlic cloves
Coconut oil
Butter - about 50g
100g St Agur (or similar blue cheese)
300g risotto rice
Slosh of dry vermouth or white wine (optional)
1 litre of chicken stock (or vegetable stock is fine too)
Parmesan
Salt and pepper

Method:

Heat some coconut oil in a large non-stick pan, add the squash and all the garlic, slightly crushed with the side of a knife. I'd also add a pinch of salt at this point.
Cover and leave to cook until soft - this should take around 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally to stop it sticking depending on how large the chunks of squash are. You may also need to add a bit of water to help it along and again stop sticking or over-colouring.
Once the squash is cooked and soft set aside and begin cooking risotto as usual.
Heat some oil and toast off your risotto rice, if possible keep some of your garlic from the squash in the pan to cook the risotto, mashed up slightly.
Once the rice is toasted off a bit add your wine/vermouth if using or straight onto the stock if not. Keep ladling the stock into the pan as each ladle is absorbed by the rice.
Once your rice is nearly cooked then add your squash back into the pan - you will notice you may need extra stock or water in this recipe as the squash will suck up a huge amount of liquid itself.
Keep adding stock (or water if you run out) until the rice is al dente.
At this point you want to season then add your butter and blue cheese (reserving a little to top the dishes), cover and leave for 5 minutes.
Serve up, top with a little blue cheese and a scattering of parmesan.

Spicy rice two ways

As you will already have noticed I love a dish that allows me to change it into different meals with the leftovers. This is one of my easiest to change yet. Not only did it make my flatmate and I a very nice dinner last night but I've transformed it into a great breakfast/brunch recipe for myself today! It also works well to take in a lunchbox and could be transformed into a salad once cold with the addition of some avocado (as with brunch), lettuce and fresh tomatoes.

Spicy rice

Ingredients:

1 red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 large red pepper, sliced into strips
Handful of chestnut mushrooms, sliced
Beef mince
Passata - most of the jar
Mix of Bomba and Umami paste or plain tomato puree
Tin of chickpeas
2 tsps dried oregano
2 tsps of dried thyme or za'atar spice mix
1 heaped tsp hot smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
Coconut oil
250g Basmati rice
200ml stock or water

Topping options:

Goat's cheese or cream cheese
Avocado
Fried or poached egg
Tabasco

Method:

Heat a dessert spoonful of coconut oil in a large non-stick pan.
Add onions and fry until softened slightly.
Add peppers and garlic as well as the beef. You want to beef to form small chunks almost like mini meatballs - this can be achieved either by ripping up mini burger patties or pinching sections of mince and squashing slightly before adding to the pan.
As these are browning you can add the mushrooms and stir through.
As this is frying add your herbs and spices as well as the puree.
Once all the beef is fried off (this should take minutes as they are small sections and just need to brown) then add the passata and chickpeas. Rinse out the passata jar with water and add this to the pan as well.
Cover and allow to cook together for 15-20 minutes.
While this is cooking down partly cook your rice according to packet instructions, you want to drain it just before it's cooked while still a bit hard when tasted.
Add the partly cooked rice to the dish, you may also need to add a little extra water or stock depending on how much the dish has reduced.
Cover and allow to cook for a few more minutes until the rice is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste.
You now have a few options to top off the dish, for dinner we topped it with goat's cheese then I recreated it as a breakfast this morning with avocado, fried egg and tabasco - both were delicious!