okonomiyaki, okonomiyaki, okonomiyaki

i got a bee in my bonnet about okonomiyaki. say it out loud in your best, terrible Japanese accent and i'm sure the  decision to make these will shortly overpower you. 

makes three serves. 

1c flour of choice

0.5tsp baking powder

0.5tsp sugar

0.25tsp salt

1tsp vegetable stock powder (i like massel)

175ml (12Tbs) aquafaba- drained liquid from tinned beans such as chickpeas OR 3 egg equivalent of egg replacer

3c finely shredded cabbage (and/or other veg, like carrot, spinach)

2 spring onions, finely chopped

0.75c cold water

serving suggestions: steamed rice, salad, chopped spring onion, toasted sesame seeds, pickled or fresh ginger, tonkatsu or other sweet bbq type sauce, and mayonnaise- this is my favourite http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-12119/a-homemade-vegan-mayo-recipe-that-will-blow-your-mind.html

in a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients with a whisk. add the aquafaba; whisk gently, then add the water and mix for a few minutes until combined and no big lumps remain. mix in the shredded veg and the spring onion. 

heat a frying pan to medium and add a small amount of oil (I use a pump spray and a non sick on for ultimate ease). use a ladle to dish out a generous, fist-sized scoop of mixture. do not flatten; cover the frying pan with a lid for five minutes before flipping the okonomiyaki and cooking covered for another five minutes. flip back to the original side and cook, uncovered for a few more minutes. 

serve with whatever toppings and sides you like!

fat tony's greek veggies

this is a bit of an odd one: made for me many years ago in canada by an austrian hellenophile, i won't claim whether this dish has any greek authenticity. it is, however, incredibly delicious, and simple to make- plus the vegetables can be substituted for others (though these are my favourites). quantities are approximate- whatever fits into your dish (note: chunkier pieces will take up more room). 

cut into 1.5cm thick slices:

1 red capsicum

1 small aubergine

1 large zucchini

10 cherry tomatoes, pierce with knife 

5 cloves roasted garlic, peeled 

1-2 green spring onions, cut into 0.5cm rounds

juice of half a lemon; cut the other half into 3-4 slices 

1Tbs apple cider vinegar

1Tbs maple or agave syrup (or raw sugar)

1c olive oil

1tsp each salt and coarsely ground pepper

2Tbs dried oregano 

water

arrange the vegetables, garlic, onion and lemon slices into an oven proof dish at least 10-15cm deep. add the remaining ingredients and top with enough water to almost cover the vegetables and leave at least a centimetre from the top of the dish so it doesn't overflow. cover with foil, and bake for 40 minutes at 200C. 

serve with plain white rice or crusty bread. 

there will be lots of sauce left- either fish out the veggies and cool a new lot in the existing juice, or use it as part of a salad dressing!

my body is a temple: fried brown rice with greens

at this time of year, kitchen slavery and the excess of rich foods assault the palate and brain: this is your incredibly delicious saviour. 

per person:

1tsp olive or other oil 

50g firm tofu, in 1cm cubes

1c cooked brown rice (preferably refrigerated overnight)

1 bok choy, sliced in 1cm sections (separate white and green)

6-8 snowpeas

1 small clove garlic, finely minced

1cm piece fresh ginger, finely grated

soy sauce and sesame oil to taste

gently fry tofu on medium-high heat for 2 minutes before adding the rice. fry for a further 2 minutes, sautéing gently then adding garlic, bok choy white stem parts. cook for two minutes before adding bok choy greens and snowpeas. reduce to medium-low heat, cover with a lid for one minute, then add ginger, soy sauce and a  touch of sesame oil before removing from heat and serving. 

ahhhhhhhh :)

massaman curry

this curry is AMAZING; another one i can strike off the list of must haves at a thai restaurant-cos  i can DIM (that’s right- do it myself)!

this part could be made up in bulk and stored in an airtight container for another time (if you do this, use about 2 heaped teaspoons of powder in your recipe). buy the following ingredients pre-ground, or use a coffee grinder to grind to a powder:

3 bay leaves

2tsp turmeric powder

1tsp coriander seeds

1tsp cumin seeds

0.5tsp pepper

0.25tsp cardamom seeds
half a cinnamon stick

set aside and gather all other ingredients.

2Tbs coconut oil or other vegetable oil

1 small onion, finely sliced

1Tbs fresh ginger, finely grated

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small red chilli, finely sliced, or 0.5tsp hot chilli powder

0.5c vegetable stock or water

0.5 stalk lemongrass, finely minced, or 2-3 Tbs frozen/dried lemongrass

0.25c unsalted dry-roasted peanuts (+ handful more to serve)

1tbs tamarind paste (lime or lemon juice can be used instead)

1tsp soy sauce

1Tbs palm sugar or brown sugar
400ml can coconut cream

200g tofu puffs, firm tofu or tvp chunks (i used frozen vegetarian beef chunks from an asian grocer- great! this place is awesome- lots of vegan and asian grocers stock their products if you can't get to footscrazy)

1-2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm thick chunks

1 small red capsicum, in 1cm slices

green veggies cut into 2cm pieces, eg bok choy, broccoli

heat a large saucepan (8L) over medium-high heat. heat oil and add onion, ginger, garlic, and chili, cook for 1 minute. add the stock/water plus the lemongrass, ground spices, peanuts, tamarind (or lemon/lime juice), soy sauce, and sugar. bring to a gentle boil.

add tofu, coconut cream and potatoes; add more water/stock if too thick. stir and bring back up to a boil. reduce heat to low. cook for 10 minutes, then add capsicum and green veggies (add bok choy 2 minutes before end). adjust seasoning (more soy sauce, sugar, tamarind, chilli or coconut cream to taste). top with coarsely chopped coriander and extra peanuts, or fried shallots, and serve with steamed jasmine rice and/or pan fried roti bread.

weeknight simple: something with roasted veggies

when it's not too hot and you want an easy but classy meal, preheat your oven to 250C and get

a baking tray
1 big zucchini
1 small aubergine
1 large red capsicum
2 medium tomatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
oregano, thyme and/or rosemary

slice the veggies into 2cm thick chunks; cover with a drizzle of oil and seasoning. bake for 15 minutes, then jiggle the tray to turn the veg around, and bump the heat up to 280C for another 10 minutes or just til you start to get small spots of charring. when the veg is tender, splash a little balsamic vinegar over, and serve hot on pasta, brown rice or at room temperature on a bed of rocket or mesclun. great as a wrap filling for a quick but snazzy work lunch, too!

paella, mi amor

this was a lot easier than i imagined; especially since it makes quite a lot (and could be easily increased). a great dinner party dish! or just eat it for lunch and dinner for a week.

extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
200g mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 red and 1 green capsicum, cut into 1cm wide strips
3 tsp smoked paprika
3 tsp turmeric (or splash out on a few threads of saffron- soak in hot water before adding)
2 tsp ground rosemary/thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1c chopped cauliflower florets
1c chopped tomatoes or a cup of passata
3-4c vegetable stock
2c Valencia or Arborio rice
lemon wedges and marinated, sliced artichoke hearts to serve
optional to serve: tofu or other sausage

large frying pan
large saucepan/stock pot

in a large frying pan, gently fry the mushrooms, a little salt and pepper in 2 tablespoons or so of oil for about 5 minutes; transfer this mixture to a large bowl for now.

put another tablespoon or two of oil in the pan you've just emptied, heat for 30 seconds on medium and cook the onion,  capsicum and smoked paprika for 3-4 minutes. add the cauliflower and tomato, cook for 2-3 minutes then add this to the mushrooms.

keep the stock warm in a small saucepan or microwave. gently heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in the large saucepan and add the rice; stir well for about a minute to coat evenly with oil. as for a risotto, add the warm stock a ladleful at a time, stirring well until each batch of liquid is absorbed. the rice should be pleasantly al dente (about 30 minutes).

if using, prepare tofu or other sausage if using. serve the rice, top with sausage and garnish with an extra sprinkle of smoked paprika, artichoke hearts and wedges of lemon.

sheep lover's pie

i can't really remember what i put in this, but it was delicious and this was the general direction of the recipe. this is such a deeply satisfying dish!

1c cooked lentils

1c TVP (soaked in 2c boiling water for 5 minutes)

optional: vege sausages, chopped in to 1cm chunks

0.5c each finely chopped carrot, celery

1 small leek or half a small onion

3 cloves of crushed garlic

dry herbs (oregano, parsley, sage)

salt, pepper to taste

olive oil

2Tbs plain flour or cornflour

0.5-1c vegetable stock mixed with 0.25c red wine

1 tin (450g) tin tomatos or equivalent of passata

1c frozen peas

mashed potato

fry the carrot, celery, leek/onion and garlic for 5 minutes on low-medium heat. add 2Tbs extra oil, then flour. fry for 1 minute, then whisk the stock and wine a little at a time until thick. add more flour and liquid, continuing to whisk to make a thick gravy.

add tomato and lentils/TVP/sausage and peas. put in casserole dish, top with potato and bake for 15 minutes.

pakora!

it's so easy to love these crunchy, tasty patties of veggie goodness! a very flexible recipe and fairly quick to make too.

1c chickpea (also called besan) flour

1c mashed sweet potato (or mix of plain and sweet)

1c chopped cauliflower

1 small onion, finely sliced

1tsp each ground cumin, turmeric, coriander seeds, chilli powder

0.5tsp salt 

oil for frying

serve with salad and mango chutney.

mix everything in a bowl. shallow fry heaped tablespoons into patties; turn after a couple of minutes, flatten with a spatula and fry for about 5 more minutes.

nori rolls

ahh, nori rolls; super tasty power food, work colleague impresser and comfort delight in one. i'm glad to have given this a go at home (much easier and quicker than expected), as i am limited to the tofu or pickle rolls at sushi places which contain poor quality ingredients.

this dish becomes more than a handy snack when made with organic tofu, traditional pickled ginger and wasabi powder (no artificial colours or sweeteners). the most important part is to cook the rice correctly, then it's just a matter of filling and rolling however you like.

3c japanese rice

3.25 water

0.3 rice vinegar or rice vinegar/rice wine blend

2Tbs sugar

1tsp salt

rinse rice in a large bowl or sieve. place the rice in rice cooker and add water. cook for 15-20 minutes. spread the rice thinly on a large ceramic bowl or plate so it cools quicker. dissolve the sugar and salt in the vinegar; sprinkle on the rice and fold together gently (don't squash the rice).

my favourite fillings are shredded carrot, panfried tofu, avocado, toasted sesame seeds, pickled ginger, shredded daikon root.

you don't need to wet the seaweed sheets before rolling; they will soften with the moisture of the rice. these keep well overnight in an airtight container in the fridge. 

new obsession: rice salad

i am loving rice salad right now. 2c of brown rice cooked with 4c water and a pinch of salt makes enough for 6-8 hungry people, and it's a great outdoorsy day lunch.

cook the rice, allow to cool for an hour if possible and mix in a large bowl with any combination of finely chopped or cubed yummies such as: apple, almonds, dill pickles, red cabbage, sultanas, red capsicum, parsley, toasted sesame seeds, raw onion, fresh mushrooms. add lemon juice and olive oil (plenty, as it will be absorbed by the rice), herbs and ground spices to taste. this is even better the next day, and shared with friends!

fried rice a thousand ways

i completely, utterly, unabashedly adore rice. steamed rice with spicy satay sauce or soy sauce and sesame oil... oh, so good!


this is a little more work, but so worthwhile; it can be done alone but it is best done, as it is many mornings each week, with another person: one to chop and one to fry.


anything can be used (especially little leftover veggies), but my proportions are usually 20% rice, 30% extra firm tofu, 50% veggies. i use a wok and a frying pan to speed things up.


steam the rice the night before, and allow to cool overnight in the fridge. 


cut tofu into 1cm or smaller cubes. pan fry with salt, ground pepper and garlic powder or fresh ginger, remove from heat and set aside.


chop all veggies into 1cm pieces; my favourites are carrot, cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower, enoki mushrooms (the long stringy ones found prepackaged in asian supermarkets) and snowpeas, but will use anything i have.


heat the wok and fry all the veggies at once; cook for 2 minutes, then add in a crushed clove of garlic; cook 3-4 more minutes, then tip the veggies into the frying pan on top of the tofu and set aside. 


lower the heat in the wok, add a little oil and then the rice. try to keep it moving for a minute, then add crushed garlic to taste (2 cloves might do it, though i do more); fry for another 1-2 minutes, then add the veggies and tofu back in. fry together for 1 minute, then add soy sauce and serve. drizzle with sesame oil for extra deliciousness!

crispy bean curd rolls

i can't remember when or where i ate the dish that inspired these rolls, but the memory of the textures and flavours is impossibly vivid. crisp, light wrapping; chewy tangles of vermicelli and beansprouts; the rubbery crunch of black fungus... too good!


1 package dry bean curd sheets 
1c mung bean vermicelli, soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes then drained
1c shredded black fungus, soaked in boiling water for 15 minutes then drained
1c shredded carrot
3-5 cloves garlic, crushed
3-5tsp grated ginger
1c bean sprouts
finely chopped fresh chilli, to taste
1tsp ground five spice 
1tsp ground pepper
2Tbs sesame oil
0.25c vegetarian oyster sauce (mushroom sauce)


set a large bamboo steamer on top of a pan of gently boiling water. without unfolding, lay the bean curd sheets on the steamer, cover and turn every couple of minutes to keep them soft. over medium heat, fry all ingredients except vegetarian oyster sauce for 5-7 minutes; remove from heat and stir in oyster sauce.


remove the bean curd from the steamer and unfold so that it is two thick. slice into workable pieces (depending on the size of the sheets, try for pieces approx 20cm x 20cm). spoon filling into the sheet; roll and tuck in the ends, and fry in a frying pan until golden (3-4 minutes).


serve with chilli sauce!

corncakes with tartare sauce

1c frozen corn kernels, thawed

1c soymilk

1.5c cornmeal

1tsp baking powder

0.5tsp bicarb

1tsp salt

2Tbs agave or maple syrup

2Tbs oil

1 lemon, juice and rind

2Tbs herbs/spices to taste: smoked paprika, cayenne, dried ground rosemary and thyme

blend the corn and soymilk in a food processor four about 30 seconds. add all remaining ingredients and blend until combined. 

preheat a non-stick pan on medium heat for 1 minute; add a teaspoon of oil and measure out 3 large tablespoons of mixture for each cake. cook for 2 minutes then flip; cook for 3-5 minutes or to taste.

tartare sauce

total cheat, but yum: finely chop 1 gherkin or medium pickle, mix into 3Tbs mayonnaise. that's it!

sarma: serbian cabbage rolls

so delicious! the filling is lovely stuffed into green capsicums. even better the next day! the rice can be cooked and baked on it's own in ramekins or a baking dish if you don't have cabbage or capsicum.


4Tbs olive oil
finely chopped:
1 onion
3 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 small green capsicum 
2 cups white rice
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
700ml tomato sauce or passata or tinned tomatoes - reserve 0.25c
2Tbs dried herbs (oregano, basil)
2Tbs paprika
salt, pepper to taste
1 head of cabbage, approx 1.5kg, 25cm diameter


preheat oven to 190C.


on low-medium heat, saute onion until translucent. add celery, carrots, capsicum and cook for 5 minutes. add garlic, cook for 1 minute. add rice, 0.25c tomato sauce/passata, and all seasonings; cook for 5 minutes. 


meanwhile, remove the 3-4 outermost leaves, and reserve. trim the base of the cabbage and cut an X in the base. steam the whole cabbage until leaves are limp (about 7-9 minutes). gently peel off whole leaves and remove the tough spines that make rolling difficult; resteam the remaining cabbage head if leaves aren't soft enough to remove. 


fill each leaf with 3-4Tbs of filling. fold the leaf over the filling, and place in a lightly oiled baking tray (at least 35cm long). repeat with all leaves until filling is gone.


pour the remaining tomato sauce/passata over the rolls, then top up with a little stock or water until the rolls are covered two-thirds the way up.


cover with reserved cabbage leaves or foil; cook for 1 hour.

falafel wraps

i haven't made falafel from scratch yet, but the packet mixes i buy are great: mix with water and add spices and shredded carrot to taste; shallow fry and crunch away! i eat them on fried corn tortillas with babaganoush, salad and ribbons of moroccan preserved lemons. wonderful!

babaganoush

oh eggplant, you are so wonderful. this is my favourite eggplant recipe of all time.

1 medium (500-600g) eggplant

to taste:

tahini

olive oil

lemon juice

smoked paprika

salt

chilli powder

crushed garlic

on a gas burner, sit the whole unpeeled eggplant over the flame. turn gently so that the whole eggplant is burnt on the outside and soft and cooked inside. carefully rinse the burnt skin off under cool running water. 

blend the peeled eggplant with all the other ingredients. add the flavours a little at a time and adjust as needed.

moroccan preserved lemons

10 lemons
200g rock salt
3 bay leaves
2 whole dried chillis
1tsp coriander seeds
1 cinnamon stick, broken into smaller pieces


jab each lemon with the tip of a sharp knife through the skin into the pith 5-10 times before soaking overnight in a large bowl of water. 


the next day, drain the water and quarter the lemons. place them back in the large bowl with the salt and all seasonings; mix well to coat, then pack into clean glass jars with plastic lids that seal well. 


store in a cool, dark cupboard for 3-5 weeks, gently shaking the jars every day or two. 


to use, remove the flesh and discard- use only the pith and rind. slice finely or chop into moroccan stews, in a salad or in place of pickles on burgers or wraps; or serve lemons as an antipasto cut into slices mixed into a bowl of whole black olives.

polenta pizza

amazing, simple, satisfying and infinitely customisable!

base

1c polenta

4-5c water, boiling in medium saucepan

1tsp salt

3Tbs dry herbs of choice (thyme and rosemary are lovely)

ground pepper

add the salt to the gently boiling water. slowly pour the polenta into the water, stirring with a long-handled wooden spoon (to avoid the hot polenta bubbles burning you!). keep heat on low and continue to stir until polenta is cooked (about 30 minutes, but taste as you go).

when cooked, stir in herbs and pepper. grease a baking tray with olive oil, and spread hot polenta in a 1-2cm thick layer on the whole tray. allow to cool or refrigerate.

cover with tomato sauce and pizza toppings of choice; zucchini slices, marinated spicy eggplant, olives, capers, sundried tomato, fresh basil and grated carrot are the best!

tofu, mushroom and spinach quiche

this will make a 25cm pie; serves 4 if you're lucky ;)

crust

1.5c plain flour (i used 0.5c each brown rice, spelt and gluten-free flours)

1tsp sugar

0.5tsp salt

0.5tsp baking powder

0.3c margarine

0.3c cold water

2tsp vinegar

filling

300g firm tofu

1 small leek

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1c mushrooms, in 1cm thick slices

1 bunch english spinach or 4 large leaves of silverbeet, coarsely chopped

0.25c nutritional yeast flakes

3Tbs cornflour

1Tbs plain flour

0.25tsp ground nutmeg

salt, pepper to taste

optional topping

3Tbs ground almonds

4-5 chopped sundried tomatoes

heat oven to 180C. 

mix together the dry ingredients. with your fingers, crumble the margarine and dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl til it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. mix the water and vinegar; add to flour mix in 3 batches, mixing gently between each addition. knead lightly only until the dough sticks together in a ball. return to mixing bowl and sit in freezer for 20 minutes while you make the filling.

slice leek into 1cm rounds; chop onion finely. saute for 3-5 minutes on medium heat with a little oil until onion begins to go translucent. add mushrooms and garlic; cook for 5-8 minutes until mushrooms are mostly cooked. turn heat to low if contents dry out, or add a teaspoon of water. add spinach/silverbeet, allow to wilt then remove from heat.

remove dough from freezer and place between two 30cm pieces of baking paper. roll into a 0.5cm thick round and lay carefully in the pie/quiche dish, patching up any holes with overhanging pastry. bake for five minutes, remove from oven.

in a food processor (or in a bowl, mixing with a fork), blend tofu, yeast flakes, cornflour, flour and seasonings til smooth. stir in to vegetables, pour into crust. bake for 40 minutes; if using topping, sprinkle on top of pie, cook for another 5 minutes.

serve with a tangy green salad.

cauliflower and leek soup

this is gorgeously creamy and filling. keep it simple or add cumin and nutmeg for a warming lunch. serve topped with croutons; or as pictured above with dukkah, brown rice and fried firm tofu.

500g cauliflower (0.5 a medium head)

1 small leek

0.5 small onion

1c water

1 vegetable bouillion cube (or use 1c stock)

0.25c ground almonds

0.25c soy milk

ground spices to taste 

salt, pepper

coarsely chop the cauliflower, leek and onion and simmer in saucepan with water and bouillon cube or stock for 15 minutes or until soft. remove from heat, add in almonds and soy milk. blend until smooth; adjust seasoning to taste.