Yellow Vegetable Curry  – Vegan

by Nessa Robins

Pumpkins and butternut squash are from the same plant family and are both currently in season. They can easily be interchangeable in recipes and make for a nutritious addition to any curry or casserole. They are packed full of vitamins and minerals and are also a rich source of fibre, which is essential for optimal gut health. Preparing the pumpkin or butternut squash is the most time-consuming part of this recipe, so to aid with the preparation of an otherwise speedy curry dish, I normally peel and cube the squash ahead of time and store in a sealed container in the fridge until ready to use. It will keep perfectly when stored this way for up to three days. This curry tastes just as good the day after it is made, so keep a bowl aside in the fridge for the next day’s lunch. 

Enjoy!

Nessa x

Yellow Vegetable Curry 

Ingredients

Method

  1. Over a medium heat, add the olive oil to a large saucepan. Once it has heated through add the onion and turn down the heat. Sauté over a low heat, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and stir through, before adding the curry paste and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir to combine.
  2. Next, add all the remaining ingredients to the pot. Place the lid on the pot. Once it starts to bubble, turn the heat to low and simmer for 50 minutes, stirring regularly. 
  3. To serve, ladle into bowls, serve alongside some boiled brown rice, scatter over some fresh coriander leaves, and add a dollop of coconut yogurt.  

Recipe Roundup – Lentils

by Simone Kelly

A cupboard staple that’s easy to cook with, full of protein, and adds tons of goodness to your plate – the humble lentils are amazing in whatever colour you choose.

Click on the bold part to go directly to the recipe.

Enjoy x

Recipe Roundup – Beans

by Simone Kelly

A cupboard staple that’s just so handy to cook with, for a quick satisfying meal or even, yes, cake… we’ve got them all, great recipes for beans of different sorts coming up below!

Enjoy x

Saag Aloo Gobi

by Liz Child

Saag aloo gobi = greens potatoes cauliflower. It’s a classic Indian side dish, a drier curry, delicately spiced and absolutely delicious! We find it easier to mostly make it in the oven and then quickly finish it off on the hob with the spinach/kale and lemon juice. It is honestly gorgeous, we make it so often to go with our weekly bowl of dal or chickpea masala. Or to make it a meal in it’s own right, add a drained tin of chickpeas or some chopped extra firm tofu to the pan for some protein. Don’t stress if you don’t have the brown mustard seeds or cumin seeds, just leave them out. Top with sliced chilli for an extra kick. I hope you really enjoy it.

Liz x

Ingredients

  • 1 large red onion, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cauliflower, cut into florets
  • around 6 medium potatoes, cut into bites
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • the juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 200g chopped kale/spinach

Method

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 200C and find a large oven and hob safe dish (or you can just use a deep oven dish). Tumble in the chopped onion, cauliflower and potatoes then drizzle with the oil.
  2. Add the whole spices, curry powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper then mix well with your hands to evenly coat each bite with the seasoning.
  3. Roast in the oven for around 30 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Check and stir the dish every 10 minutes to ensure an even bake.
  4. Now place the pan on a hot hob and stir through the lemon juice and kale/spinach. Cook until the greens are wilted. Alternatively, if you are using a baking dish that is not safe on the hob, wilt the greens separately then stir through with the lemon juice.
  5. Serve hot with rice and dal or chickpea masala. Enjoy!

Coconut & Spinach Dal with Roasted Swede & Cauliflower

by Liz Child

What’s the meal that you have on repeat every week? In our house it’s dal. This creamy lentil curry is so good in so many ways. Firstly, it’s always delicious no matter how we tweak it. Sometimes with a tin of creamy coconut milk, sometimes with a tin of tangy tomatoes, sometimes neither. But always with some seasonal curried vegetables! Secondly, lentils are a very affordable ingredient which satisfies the whole family for a few cents. Thirdly, lentils are incredibly nutritious, full of healthy plant-protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. I could go on but I’ll finish with the fact that they are quick and easy to cook. Add to soups and stews for body, texture and extra nutrients, or make them the centerpiece in an Indian curry like this one.

Have I inspired you to try lentils? Let me know in the comments. Top your dal with roasted veg, pickled veg, fermented veg, raw veg…anything you like to add colour and texture and taste. We went for curried, roasted swede and cauliflower as they really soak up those spices beautifully!

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

For the roasted veg:

  • 1/2 a swede
  • 1/2 a cauliflower
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp whole mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste

For the dal:

  • 1 mug of red split lentils, rinsed
  • 2 cloves of garlic, grated
  • 1 thumb of fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 mild fresh chilli, chopped (or to your taste)
  • 1 tsp salt & a generous grinding of black pepper
  • 1 tin of coconut milk
  • 2 tins of water
  • 100g fresh spinach, rinsed

Method

  1. Turn your oven on to 200C. Chop the swede into small cubes, peel and roughly slice the onion and break the cauliflower into florets. Toss in a large baking dish with the oil, spices and seasoning and place in the oven to bake.
  2. Meanwhile put all the dal ingredients (except the spinach) in a pot and simmer until the lentils are cooked through and creamy. This should take around 15 minutes. Stir regularly to ensure the lentils don’t stick and burn. Turn the heat off and add the spinach to the dal. Place the lid on the pot and allow the residual heat to wilt the spinach while you take the roasted veg out of the oven and get bowls and spoons ready.
  3. Serve the dal in bowls topped with roasted vegetables. You can also serve with brown rice or breads to make it a heartier meal. Fresh coriander, sliced chillies, Indian chutneys, toasted nuts etc make great toppings too. Get creative and add extra nutrients and interest to your bowl.

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

by Liz Child

If you are anything like me, you’ll be craving salty crisps most days and have diagnosed yourself as a snackoholic. I promise these healthier, savoury, crispy snacks will satisfy your cravings and you’ll feel good after eating them. Chickpeas are high in healthy protein and fibre and these only need a teeny bit of oil and seasoning to get really crispy and deliciously moreish. Added bonus? A tin of chickpeas is cheaper than a big bag of crisps too! The only downside is that these take longer than you think they would to crisp up in the oven. So to save energy, we always cook them in the bottom of the oven when we have it on for something else anyway. If you have cooked them long enough and then cool them completely before storing in a box or jar, they should stay nice and crispy in the cupboard for about 4 days.

These are not just good as a snack, try them on top of salads, soups, stews for added crunch and flavour. Did you make these? Tell us in the comments and please share your favourite seasonings too. We love to get inspired.

Liz x

Ingredients

  • 1 tin of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and thoroughly dried
  • olive oil, just a small drizzle, about 1 teaspoon
  • salt, only a small pinch, around 1/4 of a teaspoon
  • curry powder – I use about 1 tbsp per tin of chickpeas (or any seasoning you prefer eg smoked paprika, chilli, cumin, garlic powder, herbs, lemon zest…)

Method

  1. Drain and rinse your chickpeas then tumble them onto a clean tea towel. Place a second clean tea towel on top and gently rub to dry the chickpeas and rub off some of the skins. Removing the skins does make them dry out a little faster and the skins themselves are a delicious, crispy addition. If you can be bothered, gently pinch the chickpeas to pop them out of their thin skins. Don’t worry if you don’t get them all.
  2. Spread the dried chickpeas out into a baking tray in one layer. Drizzle with the oil and seasoning and shake the tray to evenly coat each chickpea in the spices.
  3. Place the tray in an oven at 190C for at least 40 minutes and even up to an hour. They should shrink and dry out completely. Allow them to completely cool in the tray, they’ll crisp up even more as they cool. Then store them in an airtight container and eat within 3 or 4 days.

1 Pot – Cauliflower, Coconut & Chickpea Curry

by Liz Child

We love a curry at our house, how about over at yours? This is a simplified, not-very-authentic-but-still-really-delicious *sort of* biryani. In my quest for less washing up, less hands-on time, and more one pot dishes, this is perhaps my favourite. Of course you should feel encouraged to switch up the veg and spices (try pumpkin in the base or romanesco on top – try different curry powder blends – garam masala is gorgeous here), even remove the coconut in exchange for another mug of water of a tin of chopped tomatoes? This curry is simply a case of cooking the base, then layering on the rice and liquid (always add double the volume of liquid to rice, and don’t forget to rinse and drain your rice first), add the cauliflower carefully on top and bake with a lid until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Yum!

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 1 large white onion, peeled and sliced
  • 1 tin of chickpeas, drained
  • about 8 cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 heaped tbsp of coconut oil
  • 1 tsp each cumin & brown mustard seeds (optional)
  • 6 tsp curry powder (4 in the base, 2 on top)
  • a mug of basmati rice, rinsed and well drained
  • 1 tin coconut milk
  • a mug of water
  • 1/2 a cauliflower, cut into florets
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • herbs eg coriander or mint & mango chutney or lime pickle to serve

Method

  1. Turn your oven on to 200C and find a deep baking dish with a lid (or use tin foil or a baking sheet as a lid).
  2. Mix the onion, tomatoes, chickpeas, coconut oil, cumin & mustard seeds, 4 tsp of curry powder and salt & pepper to taste in the dish. Place this base curry in the oven to bake for 10/15 minutes or until the onions are soft and fragrant.
  3. Flatten out the base curry then sprinkle over the mug of rice. Stir the coconut milk and spoon it evenly over the rice. Then carefully pour the mug of water over the back of the spoon over the rice so as not to disturb the layers. Season the coconut rice layer with a pinch of salt.
  4. Then carefully place the cauliflower florets on top of the liquid and season them with salt, pepper and the reserved 2 tsp of curry powder. Put the lid on the pan and place it back in the oven for another 20-30minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
  5. Serve in scoops with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and a spoon of an Indian chutney or pickle. Enjoy!

New Potato, Chard & Kale Saag Aloo

by Liz Child

Saag aloo is one of our favourite Indian side dishes. Make it a meal and serve it with rice, dal and a chickpea curry. Maybe a raita too using our Galway grown cucumbers and some natural yoghurt? Irish new potatoes are the best and in season now. Combined with our farm chard and/or kale in place of the traditional spinach, this recipe is a great way to make the most of our local, seasonal produce. The method is simple and the results are so delicious!

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 500g new potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, finely sliced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, diced
  • 1 thumb of fresh ginger, diced
  • 1 tbsp brown mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp cumin seeds
  • a large bunch of kale or chard (or a combination), stalks separated and finely chopped, leaves finely chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Turn the oven on to 200C. Place the potatoes in a roasting dish and drizzle with 2 tbsp oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the curry powder. Stir to evenly coat the potatoes in the oil and seasoning and roast until the potatoes are soft.
  2. Meanwhile wash and prepare the greens. Separate the tougher (but perfectly edible) stalks from your chard/kale. Finely slice the stalks and put in a bowl. Finely slice the tender greens and put in another bowl.
  3. Slice the onion and sauté with the remaining tbsp of oil in a large pot with the whole spices, salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is golden and soft and the whole spices are fragrant and toasted.
  4. Then add the sliced stalks, garlic and ginger and sauté for 3 minutes or until softened. Then add the tender greens and wilt down stirring constantly until dark green and soft. You may need to add a small splash of water to help wilt the greens.
  5. When the potatoes are cooked through, stir through the wilted greens and serve.

Afghan Kidney Bean Curry

by Liz Child

We are always looking for new ways to eat beans. They are so good for us! An affordable and healthy source of protein and fibre. Good news is they are also great for the environment. Legume crops improve soil fertility naturally by working with bacteria to fix nitrogen into the soil.

So when we tried this delicious Afghan curry, we just had to share it! This is probably not an authentic recipe but it’s our quick and easy version. We love that the heat just comes from the generous use of black pepper. We’ll share the stuffed flatbreads recipe soon too. Watch this space!

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 4)

  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 2 tsp garlic granules
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 bottle of passata
  • 2 tins kidney beans
  • 2 red onions
  • 4 medium potatoes
  • (drizzle of veg oil, sprinkle of salt, pepper & ground coriander to roast the onions & potatoes)
  • diced red onion, fresh coriander & mint to taste

Method

  1. Turn your oven to 200C. Chop the potatoes into bites sized pieces and the onions into slivers and toss in a roasting dish with a drizzle of oil and sprinkle of salt, pepper & ground coriander. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until soft while you make the curry sauce.
  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot & tip in the spices and seasoning. Stir fry in the oil until the spices are very fragrant and starting to darken.
  3. Pour in the passata and the drained and rinsed kidney beans & simmer for 10 minutes or so until the curry is rich and delicious.
  4. When the potatoes and onions are cooked through and starting to colour, scrape them into the curry and warm through.
  5. Serve in bowls topped with diced red onion and chopped mint and coriander. Scoop up with flatbreads or rice & enjoy!

Chickpea Tikka Masala

by Liz Child

Our new range of curry spice sauces make it easy to put together a delicious dinner in minutes! We tested the Tikka Masala paste last night and it was so good. Here’s what we did but of course it’s totally flexible and you should use whatever vegetables you prefer or have in the house. We love the range of Bunalun organic tins too. So useful!

Liz x

Ingredients (serves 2)

  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp tikka masala curry paste
  • 1/4 cauliflower, chopped
  • a couple of handfuls of diced butternut squash
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tin of chickpeas, drained
  • 1 tin of coconut milk
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • rice and coriander to serve

Method

  1. Get your rice on to cook and find a large pot to cook the curry in.
  2. Fry the onion in the oil over a medium-high heat until it softens and starts to turn golden brown.
  3. Then add the curry paste and chopped vegetables and stir until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the tin of tomatoes and a half tin of water (swirl to get all the tomatoey juices out of the tin). Then add the chickpeas and simmer until the butternut squash is soft.
  5. Add the tin of coconut milk and warm through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed with salt and pepper. Then serve over rice with some fresh coriander.