Muddas (Rice with Lentils)

A middle eastern staple that originates from Saudi Arabia. Cheap, filling and good for you.

You need
2 cups basmati rice
1/2 cup brown or green lentils
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup oil/ghee/butter
4 cups boiling water
salt

(FYI a cup = 250ml)

Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onions. Add the lentils and rice and fry for 5 mins or so. Add the water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 45 mins (cook over a very low heat).

Serve as is, or with roti.

Akara with Pili Pili

or Bean Cakes with Chilli Sauce

A traditional Nigerian recipe from Celia Brooks Brown's World Vegetarian Classics

For the akara:
2 x 400g black eyed beans, drained
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 egg
4 rbsp plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Oil for frying

For the Pili Pili
2 red peppers, de-seeded and chopped
1=2 hot fresh chillies
1/2 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
Juice 1/2 lemon

Place the beans and onion into a foodprocessor. Blitz to a smooth paste. Add everything else and pulse till mixed.

Heat a shallow pan with the oil. When it's hot enough drop spoonfuls of the batter into the oil. Cook till brown and flip over halfway. Drain on kitchen paper.

Mix the ingredients for the sauce and serve with the bean cakes.

Delish.

Things to Make This Week

I have long been a subscriber to BBC Good Food magazine but I have to say I am usually more than disappointed with the recipes in the magazine. They taste bland and there's not a lot of veggie choice. November's edition is providing me with lots of inspiration, so well done to the team.

I am planning on making the following from the issue:
p122 toffee apples (done and they taste fab!)
p33 Chicken Chow Mein (using marinated tofu not chicken)
p35 One pan chicken couscous (using quorn)
p36 Spicy tofu kedgeree
p43 wintry rice salad
p45 Chargrilled turkey with quinoa tabbouleh and tahini dressing (using quorn again)
p52 tangy carrot, red cabbage and onion salad
p52 creamy baked leeks with citrus crumbs (I will bulk this out with some gnocchi)
p54 sweet potato and lentil soup
p55 Indian style chickpea soup
p73 custard tart with nutmeg pastry
p110 creamy gratin of butternut squash
p120 mulled apple juice
p120 rarebit toasts
p120 crisp baked potatoes with sour cream
p159 coffee semi-freddo

Next step, finish reading Delicious and Cook Vegetarian and add the recipes to try from there too!