Of cabbages and kings

Generally I like to ensure that my meals consist of as many bright coloured ingredients as possible. There are days though that a simple one main ingredient dish is all I feel like cooking after work. This stri-fried cabbage curry recipe fits the bill, it's simple, fresh and fast.

Until recently I did not like cabbage. Childhood memories of over-boiled cabbage eaten at my grandparents' houses had turned me off entirely. I would eat it begrudgingly in salad, but any form of cooked cabbage was off the menu. A cabbage curry cooked by my mother in law encouraged me to seek out my own cabbage recipe.

I speed up preparation by using the shredding attachment on my blender and shredding the cabbage and onion.

Dry Spiced Cabbage

1 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 onion, finely sliced
5 cloves garlic, crushed
chilli to taste, finely sliced
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt
1/2 large green cabbage, shredded

Heat oil in a large wok. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and fry until they begin to pop. Add the onions, garlic and chilli and fry until the onions begin to brown. Add the cabbage, turmeric and salt. Stir fry for until the cabbage begins to wilt. Reduce heat to low, cover the wok with foil and allow to cook in it's own juices for 10- 12 minutes.

Serve with rice and a sweet chutney.

This really is quick and easy but incredibly tasty.

To her door

We were talking about the power of healthy eating at work recently. A dear colleague of mine is recovering slowly from a debilitating illness that has reignited her desire to eat good food. She has not been well enough to shop for her groceries and has been having them delivered by a major supermarket chain. However, the fruit and veggies were not really up to scratch. She then discovered a company that sources seasonal fresh fruit and veggies from the local area and delivers them to you door, free of charge.

This seemed like a fabulous opportunity to support local growers and to force me to mix up my cooking. It is so easy to rely on the same recipes rotated ad nauseam, and having to cook with a random selection of veggies will be an exciting challenge. We quickly signed up for a family sized box that was delivered Wednesday. The gala apples have been deliciously crunchy and blood plums dripping with sweet juice and the beans have been tempting me to snap off the ends and devour them raw. We also have oranges, pears, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, lettuce, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, corn and cucumbers. The family sized box is supposed to suit a family of four or five but I am not sure how far it will go to covering the fruit and veg requirements of two vegans so we may end up ordering both a couple and family size box each week.

As I experiment with new recipes that make the most of the seasonal produce, I'll share them here.

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater

We travel to Sydney around once a month for medical appointments and to visit with my sister and her family. Del loathes to cook so we often end up eating less healthily that we do at home; pasta mixed with store bought sauce and oven baked chips are two regular meals for us there. We eat Indian or Lebanese takeaway at the local food court while waiting to see Dan's ophthalmologist. Last Sunday also saw us eating gluten free cheeseless pizza at Circular Quay after the Annie Liebovitz exhibition at the MCA. After a weekend of convenience eating I am keen to return home to cook something simple and fresh.

Pumpkin is one of my favourite vegetables (or fruits) and by early autumn it is in season. Several varieties are growing in my veggie garden, so I picked a ripe Kent Sunday evening to turn into a simple pumpkin based curry. This recipe is very versatile, many other veggies such as zucchini and eggplant can be substituted for the pumpkin.

Pumpkin and two pea curry

1-1.5 kg pumpkin (any variety), cubed
200g frozen peas
1 tin chick peas
1 tin tomatoes
2 brown onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp vegetable oil
lemon juice

Dry fry the mustard and cumin seeds until the mustard seeds begin to pop. Add oil. Toss in onion and garlic and brown. Add pumpkin, chickpeas, tomatoes and remaining spices. Cover pan with aluminium foil and cook for approximately 15 minutes until the pumpkin is tender. Add peas and lemon juice and garnish with fresh mint. Serve over brown rice with pappadams and chutney.

With the cooling weather, left over pumpkin can be used to make warming soups or roasted and blended with garlic served over pasta.

Share and share alike

I love to cook. I love to cook vegan meals that are healthful and scrumptious. I love to share a home cooked vegan meal with my partner, my family and my friends. Some nights it's as simple as a stir-fry full of crispy vegetables, others it a vegan banquet to impress my carnivorous visitors. I don't get the opportunity to do it enough; so I would like to share my passion for vegan eating and living with you.

I am also passionate about treading lightly on this earth. I try not to be a consumer, I grow my own vegetables and ride my bicycle when I can. Solar panels are being installed on my roof today, and while I wait I'm preparing tonight's meal: lentil loaf and grated carrot salad.

As much as I enjoy cooking I don't much like preparation. I use the slicing attachment on my blender to grate the onion, sweet potato and carrots.

Lentil loaf

1cup brown rice
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 cup yellow lentils
1 onion, peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 small uncooked sweet potato, washed and grated
2 tbsp soy sauce
cumin seeds
mustard seeds
fresh rosemary, chopped finely
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.
Lightly spray a loaf tin with oil spray.
Cook 1/2 cup brown rice (I cook rice in a microwave rice cooker, 1/2 cup rice to 1 cup of water on 50% power for 20 minutes).
Bake 1/2 cup brown rice in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool and grind to rice crumbs.
Dry fry cumin and mustard seeds until the begin to pop.
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and press firmly into loaf tin.
Bake for 35 minutes, wait for the loaf to cool, slice and serve.

Carrot salad

5 washed carrots, grated
parsley, shredded
2 tbsp sultanas, soaked in hot water to plump
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp honey
salt and pepper to taste

 


Combine the carrots, parsley and sultanas. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, honey and salt and pepper; pour dressing over salad. Scatter pine nuts over salad to serve.