Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Madras coconut curry with tempeh, spinach and cauliflower










A delicious curry with a smooth coconut broth taste that lingers on the palate, make a big batch and you can keep in a large glass pyrex container and keep in the fridge for at least 4 day's. I have this with brown rice and eat for lunch and dinner until it's all gone!

For those not familiar with tempeh, it is a fermented soybean and has a nutty quality, When I worked at Fressen vegan restaurant in toronto we used to have an incubator and make out own, to this day I have never found one as delicious as that one. You can buy it in the dairy section of the grocer and it is used often in balinese cuisine. Try slicing it thinly and frying it in organic coconut oil for a cold day, and then eat it with brown rice and a good chutney and brocoli.



1/4 cauliflower, cut into florets (so they look pretty)
200g Japanese pumpkin, skin on, cut into large cubes
1/2 packet tempeh, cut into small squares
1/2 brown onion
1 Spinach leaf, sliced finely
1 tablespoon organic homemade ghee or coconut oil
1 small part of ginger grated
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons madras curry powder from Indian supermarket
2 cups vegetable stock
1 can spiral coconut milk


Method

In a steamer basket place the pumpkin and tempeh and steam for approx 7-8 minutes, add the cauliflower for a further 5 minutes. Once cooked strain and set aside. In a fry pan gently saute the onion, garlic and ginger until translucent and add the curry powder, stir the curry powder into the aromatics for a a minute and then add the vegetables and tempeh followed by stock and coconut milk. Cook for a further 5 minutes

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Cumin, roasted sweet potato and black bean soup with a hint of chilli











This soup is packed with protein and the ghee and chilli adds some delightful flavour, enjoy on a chilly day to warm the heart and peripheral circulation!


3 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 cans goya black beans
1 garlic clove, diced
1 small brown onion, diced
1 litre vegetable stock
2 tablespoons homemade ghee
1 teaspoon cumin, ground
1 teaspoon chilli, ground


Preheat the oven to 170 degrees
Line baking tray with paper
Roast sweet potatoes for 25 minutes until soft and golden
In fry pan gently saute the onion and garlic in ghee and add the cumin and chilli cook until translucent
Once the roasted sweet potato has cooled place in a blender with the black beans, sweet potato, stock, garlic, onion and blend until combined