Tag Archives: spicy

Thai 2-Lentil Slow Cooker Soup | Vegan

A rich soup packed full of red & brown lentils and tomatoes, livened up with the Thai flavours of galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime.

Soup is an ideal lunchtime option – you can make it in batches for the week ahead, it’s easy to pack lots of different vegetables and pulses into it, and it can be filling enough to see you through the afternoon. In fact, soup is such an ideal lunch that it can be hard to know what to have in its place come warmer weather. Salads are great but they don’t last so well as a batch and certainly can’t be frozen!

This dilemma got me thinking about soup flavours that would carry well into summer but still retain the heartiness to prevent hunger kicking in only a couple of hours later. Thinking of hotter climes, it struck me that Thai flavours would be perfect. Combined with some less traditionally Thai ingredients, I think this hits the spot.

This recipes uses a Thai panang curry paste. Panang is probably one of my favourite Thai curries; it has a tangy taste, deepened by the aromatic flavours of lemongrass and galangal with a real kick from both red and green chillies. You can make it for yourself or use a shop-bought paste. I would have loved to make my own for this but that always requires quite a bit of forethought in terms of locating the necessary ingredients; I prefer to pick up a pot whenever I’m in an Asian foodstore and keep it in my cupboard for when the mood takes me.

Shrimp paste is a very common ingredient in Thai curry pastes so be sure to check the label before you buy. I found Maesri’s Panang Curry Paste in my local Chinese supermarket which is completely vegan (but very hot!) and I’m sure there are others too.Lentils and soup with text2-Lentils Fresh LimesIngredients:

400g white onion, finely chopped

800g/2 cans chopped tomatoes

150g red lentils

150g brown lentils

3tbsp panang curry paste

1tbsp tomato purée

2 cloves garlic

3cm cube fresh ginger, finely chopped

750ml vegetable stock

1tsp fresh or dried basil

1 fresh lime, to serve

  1. Add all ingredients, except the basil and lime, reserving 250ml of the stock, to the slow cooker. Mix well
  2. Cook on high for five to six hours, or on low for twelve hours. About twenty minutes before the end, stir in the basil
  3. Once the lentils have fully softened, add in the remaining stock and either blend the soup in a liquidiser or using a hand blender
  4. Slice the lime and squeeze on to serve.

Soup up-close 2-Lentil Thai SoupWhat do you think to soup in the summer? Do you still enjoy it or is it a no-go?

Slow Cooker Paneer Curry

We seem to be at that funny time of year here in the UK when we’re all dreaming of spring and the sun is beginning to shine, but, in Leeds at least, there’s still a distinct chill in the air. To me this sort of weather calls for spicy food; something warming, something comforting but something that speaks of warmer climes. This dish certainly fits the bill – although whilst making it I realised how much I am looking forward not only to warmer weather, but lighter evenings and the chance to take more recipe photos in natural light. I often take photos at lunchtime a day after I’ve cooked but there’s not always chance so I don’t feel like these are the best, but hopefully they convey enough about just how yummy this curry was.

I’ve spoken about my love of paneer before and how ideal it is for a vegetarian curry to give it a bit of extra texture. Saag paneer and mutter paneer are both classic North Indian dishes, but for everyday cooking I prefer not to limit myself to one or two vegetables. This dish is packed full with different veg which could really be substituted for any veg you happen to have in the fridge.

This would be wonderful accompanied with brown rice or wholemeal chapattis – but sometimes I prefer to fill up on extra veggies and forgo any sides so I ate this as it is.Slow Cooker Paneer Curry | The Tofu DiariesSlow Cooker Paneer Curry 2 Slow Cooker Paneer Curry 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil

2 celery sticks, sliced

2 red onions, chopped finely

3 shallots, chopped finely

2 carrots, sliced into rounds

1 large sweet potato, cut into cubes

Handful of purple sprouting broccoli

200g paneer, cut into large cubes

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 inch cube ginger, cut into thin slices

1 fresh red chilli, finely sliced

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp paprika

100ml vegetable stock

Crème fraiche, to serve (optional)

In a pan, or slow cooker insert if possible, heat the oil on a medium heat. Add the onions, celery and shallots. Once they begin to soften, add the spices, garlic and ginger. Stir well and after a minute or so add a tablespoon or two of water to bring out the flavours. Add the carrots and sweet potato, cook for a further couple of minutes.

Add this along with the other vegetables, fresh chilli, and stock to the slow cooker. Stir well. Cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours.

Heat another tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the paneer cubes. Turn regularly to brown on all sides. Add these golden cubes to the slow cooked curry and mix well. If you like, you can reserve a few pieces to add on top. If desired, serve with a dollop of crème fraiche on top.Slow Cooker Paneer Curry 3 Slow Cooker Paneer Curry 5Do you have any favourite curry recipes? Share them below!

Fa-loaf-el | Falafel Loaf with Veg Chilli & Lime Lettuce

I have to admit, it’s rare that I use something pre-made or from a packet mix in my kitchen, but I recently re-discovered the wonders of falafel mix. It frequented my cupboards as an undergrad student almost a decade ago but I’d largely forgotten about it ever since. Having picked up a pack in a Middle Eastern supermarket a couple of weeks ago, I remembered that as well as being both tasty and easy, it’s also a very cheap option. For a dish like this where I splashed out on mange tout and baby corn for the chilli, not having to spend loads on top getting falafel ingredients is a welcome relief.

Whilst the falafel mix is easy in terms of effort, don’t forget it does need to sit for around 45 minutes to an hour before it’s ready to be cooked. I didn’t really factor that in properly so had quite a bit of hungry waiting time. Baking it as a loaf does add extra time as well but it’s also hands-off time and frees up time to make the accompanying chilli.

Baking falafel into a loaf provides a healthier alternative to frying. The outer sides of the loaf get wonderfully browned and crisp whilst the middle remains moist. You can also add in other vegetables to bulk it out and up the nutrition factor; I added in grated courgette and it worked a treat but you could definitely try out adding in others such as chopped mushrooms or even fresh spinach. A rich spicy chilli is a dream to go with it and the lime lettuce adds a nice extra dimension with a tanginess that complements both the loaf and the chilli.Falafel Loaf Falafel Loaf 3 Falafel Loaf 4Ingredients

For the loaf:

1 pack falafel mix, prepared according to instructions

1/2 courgette, grated

For the chilli:

2tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced

Handful baby corn, top & tailed

Handful mange tout, top & tailed

Handful mushrooms, thickly sliced

2 tins chopped tomatoes

1 tin chickpeas, drained

1/2 courgette, grated

3 cloves garlic, crushed

2tsp smoked paprika

2tsp paprika

3tsp ground cumin

2tsp chilli flakes

Plenty of black pepper

For the lettuce:

1 cos lettuce, sliced

Juice of one lime

Sprinkling of mixed seeds

Once the falafel mixture is ready, mix the courgette in thoroughly and pour into a well-greased loaf tin. Bake at 180c for 30 minutes. For the first twenty minutes, cover with foil to prevent it browning too quickly – remove this 2/3 of the way through to allow it to turn golden brown.

Whilst the loaf is baking, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until it begins to soften. Add the baby corn, mange tout, and mushrooms and cook for two minutes. Add the garlic and cumin, stirring well. Pour in the tomatoes, add both types of paprika and the chilli. Simmer for around ten minutes. Add the chickpeas, courgette and black pepper, simmer for a further five minutes.

Coat the lettuce leaves in the lime juice and sprinkle over the seeds to serve. Check the loaf is cooked by inserting a cocktail stick or skewer – when it comes out clean the loaf is cooked through. Once ready, turn out onto a wire cooling rack and cut into thick slices. Serve with the salad and chilli.Falafel Loaf 2 Falafel Loaf 5Do you have any unique ways of cooking or serving falafel? Share below!

Vegan Rainbow Paella

Vegan Rainbow PaellaToday you can find me over at Tea and Post filling in with this recipe for Vegan Rainbow Paella, whilst the lovely Lauren is on holiday.

Chargrilled Honey Paneer

Paneer for me is one of those foods I simply can’t get enough of. These days I find it hard to go out for Indian food without ordering a paneer dish. A non-melting curd cheese, this ingredient is perfect in a vegetable curry where it gives an extra element of texture. Where I really can’t resist it though is served up simple in big fat cubes, marinated then chargrilled.

It’s pretty easy these days to pick up a block in a supermarket, otherwise all South Asian supermarkets will have plenty on offer. I recently ventured into an absolute treasure trove of spices, grains and other interesting goodies at a large store of the latter description recently (Roundhay Supermarket in Harehills, if anyone is in Leeds). As well as picking up a block of paneer, I also bagged 2kg of brown lentils for £1.69, some bags of spice at around 65p a pop, and dried barberries which will no doubt crop up in a recipe sometime soon. In this sort of store, usually you’ll find paneer available either in a block or already cubed – it’s much cheaper to go for the uncut option!

The marinade I made for the paneer is a real treat. The honey adds a wonderful sweetness but isn’t overpowering due to the earthy spices that balance it out. It works best when accompanied with a tangy dip that can cut through this and offer a delightful sweet and sour contrast. I had a jar of extra hot mango pickle (picked up at the same shop in York that I raved about here) and this was a dream addition. I cooked the cubes on a hot griddle pan and it gave them a deep chargrilled flavour but if you don’t have one they would still be delicious cooked till golden brown in a regular frying pan.

1. Chargrilled Honey Paneer 2. Chargrilled Honey Paneer 3. Chargrilled Honey Paneer

Ingredients

200-250g paneer, cut into 2.5cm cubes

4 shallots, each cut into 4-6 pieces

 

For the marinade:

2 tbsp oil (I used olive)

2 tbsp honey

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garam masala

 

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a bowl, add the paneer and shallots, mix until they are thoroughly coated. Heat a griddle pan on a high heat. Once hot, add in the marinated paneer and shallots. Keep on the high heat, turning frequently, until all sides of the paneer are browned and the shallots are soften. Serve with mango pickle or a chilli dip.

4. Hot Mango Pickle 5. Chargrilled Honey Paneer

Have you ever cooked with paneer? What recipes do you use it in?