Red Bell Pepper, Chick-pea & Sweet Potato Carrot Curry With Lemon & Turmeric Rice

Red Bell Pepper, Chick-pea & Sweet Potato Carrot Curry

With Lemon & Turmeric Rice

Photography by Rainbow Chef. Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved

Welcome back everyone! I hope you are all well and having a fabulous week so far whatever you’ve been up too. I myself have been working hard on developing up more recipes to share with you all.

I’m a bit of a nerd when it comes to cooking and baking, I always seem to float around thinking up what I can make for tea that’s different as one does get into a routine of cooking the same things every week (and I’m sure you can all relate to this in your own way), it’s so easy to get stuck into habits isn’t it?

Every Wednesday is Curry Night and although I am contradicting myself here I never tire of a Curry EVER! There are just so many varieties out there that it’s impossible to get bored, I’d say I get more inspired the more I discover recipes. This time I decided to embark on creating my very own Recipe, for some reason I woke up one morning with an idea in my head and had to start experimenting so out came the Food Processor and a collection of my favourite ingredients.

I tend to make Tomato based curries but this time I wanted to have a play with my idea of using a vegetable sauce, something a little sweeter and also quite a traditional vegetable used in Indian cuisine; the humble Carrot!

It’s kind funny actually because Once I had made the sauce it suddenly dawned on me that I had made a Carrot and coriander (Cilantro) soup pretty much BUT it works SO incredibly well with the other ingredients.

Sweet, Aromatic and flavourful, this is certainly a more hearty Curry but very healthy; a real comfort food, perfect for packing in those extra veggies into your daily intake and also a fab way to disguise veggies into the kiddies meals too!  I designed this Curry to be quite saucy (Oh I say!) so you can enjoy mopping it up with Dairy-free Naan Bread OR Chapattis. The Lemon Tumeric Rice adds a nice contrast as the acid from the Lemon cuts through the Sweetness from the Carrots to give a lovely balanced flavour.

What Will I Need?

Medium Cooking pan

Hot Plate OR Frying Pan

Mortar & Pestle

Food Processor OR Blender

Large Cooking Pan

Measuring Spoons

Sharp Chopping Knife

Measuring Jug

1 X Drinking Mug

Large Cooking Pan

Grater OR Zester

Colander

Ingredients

Serves 5-6

For the Sauce

6 Large Carrots

6 Cloves Garlic

½ Tsp. Sea Salt

15g Fresh Coriander PLUS extra for serving

450 ml water

 For the Vegetables

1 Tbsp. Rapeseed Oil

2 Tbsp. Water

1 Medium Yellow Onion roughly chopped

1 Medium Red Onion roughly chopped

1 Large Sweet Potato peeled and Chopped (about 2 cm pieces)

1 Large Red Bell Pepper

1 x 400g Tin chick-Peas in Water drained and rinsed

1 Tsp. Cumin Seeds

1 Tsp. Garam Masala

½ Tsp. Tumeric Powder

½ Tsp. Fenugreek Powder

1 Dairy and Egg Free Vegetable Stock Cube OR 1 Tsp. Free From Vegetable Stock Powder.

Large Handful Fresh Spinach

For the Tumeric Rice

1 Cup Dry Wholegrain Rice

1 Tsp. Tumeric Powder

Zest 1 x Lemon

Juice Half Lemon

Pinch of Sea Salt

Water

Method

1. Toast the Cumin Seeds on a Hot Plate OR Frying pan over a high Heat until fragrant (be careful not to burn); Grind in a Mortar and Pestle. This will ensure you get the most flavour out of the Spice.
2.  Add the Carrots to a medium size Cooking Pan, cover with water and bring to the boil before turning down to simmer until the Carrots are just tender. Drain and run them under cold water to cool.
3. Place the carrots and all the other sauce ingredients to the Food processor OR Blender (EXCLUDING the water to start with); blitz until smooth then with the motor running, gradually add half of the water until you have a thick soup texture. Set aside.
4. Add the Rapeseed Oil and Water, turn up the heat to medium and cook the Onions until just turning tender and golden.
5. Add the Sweet Potato to the pan and cook covered for 7 minutes
6. Add the Red Bell Pepper and Chick-peas to the Pan and cook covered for 5 minutes.
7. Add all the spices mix to coat the vegetables evenly, let cook for 5 minutes (you may need to deglaze the pan with a little splash of water in-between to prevent the Spices from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning).
8. Add the Carrot Puree Mixture along with the remainder of the water and vegetable Stock Cube, bring to the boil then turn down on a low-medium heat to simmer. (if the mixture is too thick, you may need to add a little extra water). Lastly, stir in the Spinach and let cook covered for 20 minutes, then take off the lid and cook for a further 15 minutes until you have a lovely thick consistency.

For the Rice

Whilst the curry is bubbling away, you can prepare the Rice!

1. Fill a large cooking pan just over half way with water and bring to the boil; add the rice, stir and turn down the heat to medium. Cover and let simmer for 25 minutes unless the pack states otherwise.
2. Drain then pop back in the Large Cooking Pan along with the Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice and Sea Salt; stir until the rice is coated evenly with the Turmeric and Lemon.

 Serve Hot with the Curry nestled in the rice OR on the side, however you like it!

Serving Suggestions

Delicious served up over the Lemon Tumeric Rice with a generous dollop of Mangoe Chutney, cool Raita and Naan Bread!

TIP! Got loads left over? Freeze it! This curry is even more awesome after freezing as the flavours develop over time.

Pop inside a Chapatti and make a Curry Wrap; your lunch box will never be dull again!

I hope you enjoy this recipe, I would love to see your results and hear what you think, please comment below this recipe it would be lovely to meet you!

Smokey Avocado & Chic Pea Mash

 

Photography by Rainbow Chef copyright © 2018. All rights reserved.

Hello everyone, hoping you’re having a fabulous week so far, in the UK we still have that heat wave going on and it just gets hotter by the day! Although I certainly am not complaining as I have been able to sit and work on my various projects in the garden which is always lovely. 

Now, the hot weather always makes me steer towards cold meals (naturally), I don’t wanna be near an oven for too long and so I thought I would share with you all another very quick and very scrummy recipe that is yet again, very versatile! 

Citrusy, cool and smooth, this Avocado and Chic Pea Mash makes a great filling for sandwiches and wraps OR even as a refreshing dip to be scooped up with tortilla chips AND even as a salad dressing!

Enough chit-chat let’s start!

What Will I Need? 

Hot Plate OR Non-stick Frying Pan

Mortar & Pestle 

Food Processor OR Blender

Grater

Lemon Juicer (if you have one)

Spatula OR Spoon

Medium Size Sterilised Glass Jar OR Air-tight Plastic storage container

Ingredients

1 x Medium very ripe Avocado

½ Tin Chic Peas drained and rinsed clean

½ tsp.Cumin Seeds OR Ground Cumin

1 tsp. Smoked Paprika

Zest Half Unwaxed Lemon finely grated                          

1-2tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

¼ tsp. Fresh Ground Sea Salt

Method

1. Toast the cumin seeds on a high heat until they let of a strong aroma (about 30 seconds). Then grind down in a Mortar & Pestle to form a powder.
2. Place all the ingredients into a food processor fitted with an ‘S’ blade OR blender and blitz until smooth (about 1-2 minutes) being sure to scrape down the sizes of the bowl with a spatula OR spoon to ensure all the mixture is well combined.
3. Place in a sterilised glass jar OR Air tight plastic container and keep refrigerated. This will keep for 5 days (if you can bear to stop eating it!).

Serving Suggestions

Makes the perfect filling for sandwiches and wraps; perfect for parties serves up with Tortilla Chips, Crackers, breadsticks and more! why not take some to work OR school to add a little excitement to your pack up! 

Roasted Carrot, Red Onion & Sweet Potato Tart with a Gluten Free Falafel Pastry Crust

Roasted Carrot, Red Onion & Sweet Potato Tart with a

Gluten Free Falafel Pastry Crust 

Photography by Rainbow Chef. Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved.

Hello and welcome back! I hope you have all had a fabulous weekend and have an exciting week ahead! We are still experiencing a heat wave and I think Sunday has got be the hottest day yet with temperature soring to 32 degrees C, certainly not the heat I want to be spending too much time near a hot oven that’s for sure.

So, a few weeks back now I cooked a lovely meal for my family, it was very unusual for them and certainly not something they had before but it got the 2 thumbs up (this is seriously HUGE with all things considering…), anyway, their cheffy next door neighbours were told all bout what I was getting up too in the kitchen and so they popped round for a nosey and a natter since like me they adore cooking and finding out new edible recipes to try out. As we were talking, they were telling me all about this Carrot Tart they had out somewhere that had a Gluten Free Oat crust, it sounded delicious and I for one was inspired! I banked the use of carrots in a tart in my thoughts and got straight on the matter.

One of my most favourite snacks to make is the humble Falafel, not only is it packed full of gorgeous Middle Eastern Spices, but it has a lovely thick almost doughy consistency, perfect for making into…PASTRY! I started to experiment and new the perfect ingredient that would add rigidity and a light crunch and so I made my usual falafel but adding in a couple more ingredients; moulding it into a deep flan dish. I was thrilled as I opened the oven door to find it worked!

Another creation of mine I tend to make in the colder months is a Baked Sweet Potato Mash of which I thought would work well as just a simple puree, and then the addition of Roasted Carrots. So basically I introduce to you collection of all my favourite things amalgamated into a tart!

Aromatic, Sweet and crisp with a delicate bite, my version of a Carrot Tart makes a fabulous centre piece for dinner guests, as well as a delicious weekend treat, scrumptious eaten Hot OR Cold!

What Will I Need?

Food Processor

2 x Baking Trays

30cm Deep Fill Flan Dish

Medium Cooking Pan

Colander

Sharp Knife

Spatula OR Metal Spoon

Ingredients

For the pastry

35g/1/3 Cup Gluten Free Oats

25g/¼ Cup Chic Pea Flour OR Besan

1 x 400g Tin Chic Peas in Water

¼ tsp. Ground Sea Salt OR Pink Himalaya Rock Salt

1 tbsp. Dried Corriander OR Mixed Herbs

 For the Filling

1 x Large Sweet Potato peeled an roughly chopped

1 x Clove Fresh Garlic minced

1 tsp. Mixed Sweet Spice

1/2 tsp. Ground Sea Salt OR to taste

Ground Black Pepper to taste

2 Medium Carrots diagonally Sliced

1 x Large Red Onion

1 tbsp. Olive Oil (for brushing)

1 tsp. Corn Flour

Method:

For the pastry

1. Place all the pastry ingredients in a Food Processor and blend until smooth the mixtures resembles a dough (this will be quite a delicate dough but fear not as this is normal).
2. Place the dough in the base of a 30cm Deep Fill Flan Dish and with your knuckles, start to push the mixture out from the centre and up the sides of the dish until you have covered the entirety of the dish. TIP! Be sure to perform this step carefully, the pastry needs to be as even in thickness as possible, any excess can be trimmed away.
3. Pop in the fridge for about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, for the filling

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C (180 degrees C for Gas).

Place the second Baking Tray into the oven (this is for the pastry case)

1. Keeping the Skins on, diagonally slice the 2 Carrots length ways, you need to keep them quite chunky. Likewise with the Red Onion. Place on a baking Tray, brush with the Olive Oil and let Roast for approx. 20 minutes. TIP! You want the Carrots to be tender but not browned too much as they will overcook; the remainder of the cooking stage is once the Tart has been assembled.
2. Remove from the oven and set aside to Cool. 

You’ll need to clean the bowl of your Food processor for this stage.

1. Place the Chopped Sweet Potato in a Medium Size Cooking Pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil then turn down to medium heat to let cook until tender (a vegetable knife should easily pierce through). Drain in a colander.
2. Place the Sweet Potato and the remainder of the ingredients back into the Food Processor and blitz until smooth; Place in the fridge to allow the flavours to marinate together, about 40 minutes.

 Back to the Pastry

1. Remove the pastry case from the fridge and pop onto the hot Baking Tray, this will help prevent a soggy base! Let bake for about 25-30 minutes OR until the edges are slightly golden. 
2. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes before smearing the base and the sides with the corn flour with your fingertips. 

To assemble 

1. With a Spatula, scrape the Sweet Potato Puree onto the base of the Tart Case and spread right out to the edges of the Tart case.
2. Aarrange the part roasted Carrot in a circular pattern, nestling the red onion inbetween as per the photo, OR create your own design!
3. Brush with the remainder of the Olive Oil, then sprinkle over the Nutritional Yeast and a light sprinkle of more Sea Salt
4. Let Bake until the Carrots and Sweet Potato have gone beautifully golden.
5. Set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve this up warm with a lovely salad with a citrusy dressing and Potato wedges. Also delicious served up with your favourite veggies and gravy for a delicious hearty meal in the colder months!

TIP!

This Tart is scrummy eaten cold too, perfect for picnics and as an exciting addition to your work OR School lunch box; dinners needn’t be dull EVER again!  

Tomato & Basil Breaded Tofu Triangles

Tomato & Basil Breaded Tofu Triangles

With seasoned Garlic Mixed Potato Wedges &

Wilted Spinach, Kale & Sundried tomato Salad

Photography by Rainbow Chef Copyright © 2018. All rights reserved

So the week is at the later and as always’, the fridge is almost bare apart from one pack of Tofu and some salad items (if we’re lucky!) and it’s at this point that one used to ponder on what to make for tonight’s tea; until I had a brainwave that is!

There is always an abundance of homemade bread rolls in the freezer and I always have a shed load of dried herbs and spices in the store cupboard; I know-breaded Tofu fingers!!

CRISP, TANGY, SUCCULANT- These crunchy coated savoury delights are not only the perfect comfort food (particularly on a rainy evening), but are healthy as they are packed full of protein and free of the bad stuff and great for kids! They also make for great party food snacks served up with plan-based dips, here’s what you do.

What Will I Need?

Large Cooking Pan

Colander

Tofu Press (OR 2 chopping boards, a clean tea towel and 5 heavy books)

Baking Tray

2 Small Bowls

Measuring Spoons

Mixing spoons

Food Processor

1 x Large Plate

Pallet Knife

Greaseproof Paper OR Kitchen Roll

Non-stick Frying Pan

Aluminium Foil

Ingredients

For the Sweet Potato Wedges

1 Large Sweet Potato

1 Large Maris Piper Potato

1 Clove Garlic Crushed

1 tsp. Mixed Dried Herbs

Pinch Pink Himalayan Rock Salt OR Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

½ tsp. Smoked Paprika

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

For the Tofu

400g Block organic Tofu drained and pressed (I use Cauldron Firm Tofu)

2 tbsp. Tomato Puree

1 tsp. Smoked Paprika

1 Fresh Garlic Clove Crushed

1 tsp. Dried Basil

¼ tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Pinch Pink Himalayan rock Salt OR Sea Salt

1 tbsp. Olive Oil for frying

For the Crumb Coating

1 x Fresh Wholemeal Bread Roll

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

¼ tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Pinch Pink Himalayan rock Salt OR Sea Salt

For the Salad

½ Large Bag Spinach

¼ Large Bag Chopped Curly Kale

5-6 Sundried Tomatoes in Olive Oil

4-5 Fresh Plum Tomatos

¼ Cucumber Cubed

½ Bell Pepper cored and cut into thin stips

½ Medium Red Onion

¼ Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

Pinch Pink Himalayan rock Salt OR Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

Method

For the Tofu Fingers (Stage 1)

Wrap the drained Tofu in a clean tea towel, and then place this on a chopping board followed by another chopping board and 5 very heavy books. OR use a Tofu press (I don’t own one of these!). If using the book pressing method, I recommend pressing for 2 hours as you get a texture that’s not too firm but not too soft-just right!

Meanwhile…

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (200 Degrees Gas)

For the Salad

1. Wilt the spinach and Kale by simply placing in a large cooking pan, and pouring boiling water from the kettle over the top, then cover and let sit for 5 minutes, then in a colander drain and cool with cold water.
2. Place all Salad items in a large bowl and the then lightly mix with your hands until all the fresh vegetable are coated in the lemon juice mixture. Let rest in the fridge until needed. 

For the Mixed Potato Wedges

1. Chop the Sweet potato in half down the centre, then cut each half into quarters to form wedges. Repeat with the other Potato.
2. Place the wedges on a Baking Tray along with the Olive Oil, Crushed garlic and herbs, then massage with your hands until well coated and set aside until needed. 

For the Tofu Fingers (Stage 2)

1. In a small bowl mix together the tomato Puree, Smoked Paprika, crushed garlic, dried Basil, salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
2. For the crispy crumb coating, pop the fresh bread roll in a food processor and blitz until fine crumbs are resembled. Place in another small bowl and then add the remainder of the dry ingredients until well combined.

 Place the Potato Wedges in the oven at this point, then:

1. Take the pressed Tofu and cut down the centre of the depth, then cut into 8 fingers across the shortest length.
2. Using a Pallet Knife spread each of the Tofu fingers evenly with the tomato mixture-You only want a thin coating. 
3. Dip each of the fingers into the breadcrumb mixture, coating the entire piece as evenly as possible; then place on a large plate.
4. Heat the oil in a shallow frying pan, then place the breaded fingers and cook on each side for around 2-3 minutes until golden; wrap in Aluminium Foil to keep warm (and prevent from burning) in the oven until the wedges are crisp and golden.

Serve Piping hot with a generous portion of the salad, potato wedges and lashings of Tomato Ketchup. Enjoy!

As always, I would love to hear your results and what you think to my recipe. This is another firm favourite in my home and I hope it’ll become yours too-happy cooking!