Ingredients

• A few teaspoons oil
• 1 tsp red mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp tumeric
• 1 ½ tsp curry powder
• Salt
• 1 hot capsicum, chopped (optional)
• 1-2 tsp fresh ground ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ brown onion, diced
• 2 medium red skinned potatoes, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 400 g can chickpeas
• 1 400g can tomatoes, drained
• 1 red capsicum, sliced
• 1 small can (165 mL) coconut milk

Method

Heat up the oil in a large pot (a couple of teaspoons) over medium high heat. Add the mustard seeds and cook until they start to pop. Then add the onions, turmeric, curry powder, and about ½ tsp salt. Saute for five minutes or so, until spices are fragrant and onion starts to brown. Add the garlic and ginger, sauté for about a minute more. Fry potatoes and carrots, then add enough water to almost cover them. Add more salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until potatoes are just done. Add the last four ingredients, and simmer over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes more. Don't let the curry boil at this point. Season to taste and serve with Spiced Basmati Rice with Fresh Curry Leaves.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kilos of any type of pumpkin
• 1 large brown onion
• 0.25 cups of olive oil
• Rock salt and pepper
  
• 2 cups of vegetable bullion or stock
  
  

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 230°C. Peel and chop the pumpkin into large pieces (about 3-5 centimetre cubes). Remove the skin from the onion and chop into six big chunks. Place the pumpkin and onion in a baking tray, sprinkle with rock salt, pepper and drizzle the olive oil over the top. Mix everything with your hands, being sure to rub the oil into the pumpkin. If you like, you can add a large sprig of rosemary to the tray. Bake in the oven for roughly 30 mins until the pumpkin is very soft and the onion has caramelised. Then place the pumpkin and onion mixture into a blender (this may need to be done in batches). Add the warm vegetable bullion in bits to the mixture until it is all incorporated. If the soup is still too thick add some hot water. Add salt and pepper, if needed, to taste and serve.

Ingredients

• 1 cup warm water (approximately at body temperature)
• 3- 4 cups whole wheat bread flour (or half whole wheat, half plain)
• 1 packet yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar, treacle, agave nectar, or other sweetner
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup soy/rice milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp. dried herbs or 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (more or less to test)
• flour for kneading and polenta/cornmeal for sprinkling

Method

Lightly grease a loaf pan and sprinkle with polenta. Mix water, yeast and half of the sweetener in a small bowl until fully dissolved. I use my hands to make sure it's dissolved. Let sit for about 20 minutes or so while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. When you come back, it should be foamy on top. If it's not, get another packet of yeast and try again (either your yeast was dead, or your water was too hot).

Meanwhile, whisk the molasses, oil, soy/rice milk, and salt.  Add to half of the flour and the herbs. When the yeast mixture is foamy, add it to the flour mixture. Begin adding the rest of the flour, a 1/2 cup at a time. When it is dense enough to knead, dump it out onto a floured surface. Keep adding flour in 1/2 cup increments, kneading it after each addition. Keep kneading it and adding flour until it's no longer sticky. Knead it for 5 to 10 minutes at this point. It should be smooth and elastic.

Shape into one or two loaves (depending on the size of your pan). Cover pan with a towel and let rise in a warm place, free from draft, for an hour plus until it is double in size. Alternatively, you can actually let this rise overnight in the fridge.

Bake loaf at 180 C for 35-40 minutes or until it is golden brown on the outside, and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch fresh basil (purple variety optional)
  
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp miso
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• nutritional yeast (aka savoury yeast flakes) or salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• water

Method

Cut the centre out of the garlic if you want to be sure it isn't to strong (if you cut the clove in half there is a greenish-yellow centre - remove that part). Gently toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until lightly browned. Combine the basil, garlic, miso, and pine nuts in a food processor and puree. Scrap sides. Add a little bit of water (about a tbsp) and puree some more. While the food processor is pureeing the mixture, add the olive oil in a steady stream through the chute. Add more water, if necessary, until it's at your preferred consistency. You can add more olive oil and less water if you prefer. Taste the mixture, and add nutritional yeast (or salt) and pepper to taste.