[recipe title= “Vegan Thai Green Curry” servings=”4-6″ time=”30 minutes” difficulty=”easy”]

[recipe-ingredients]

– 2 aubergine, sliced

– 4 potatoes, chopped

– 1 green pepper, sliced

– 1 yellow pepper, sliced

– 2 cans coconut milk

– 3 cups water

– 3 tablespoons curry paste

– coriander

– lime/lemon

– fresh chillies

[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]

1. Add curry paste, water and coconut milk to a pan.

2. Bring the mixture to a boil and dilute paste.

3. Add all vegetables.

4. Cook on medium heat until potatoes are soft.

5. Serve on its own or with rice.

6. Garnish with lime/lemon, coriander and chillies.

[/recipe-directions]

[recipe-notes]

Tips & Tricks: You can use any combination of vegetables but it’s always nice to include, peppers, mushrooms and potatoes.

[/recipe-notes]

[/recipe]

On my virtual travels through Senegal currently, inspired to make the recipe of Thiebou Dienne, the national dish of Senegal, usually consisting of fish with vegetables and jollof rice (but a vegan version), I found a Thiebou Dienne recipe by Khadim of Little Baobab who says Thiebou Dienne was

“created by the Wolof people in Senegal and has spread far and wide since then, inspiring the growth of jollof rice in a number of different contexts. It’s a dish of great importance in Senegal, and is still made at many important ceremonies and events. For me every time I eat it, it takes me back home. My recipe here is a simplified version as some of the ingredients in the traditional recipe can be tricky to find outside of Africa.” (Important to note: I live in Africa, in South Africa, and not all the ingredients even in Khadim’s recipe in the cookbook, can be found in the whole of Africa. Each country and region is different and the food and produce available is different – cassava, okra and scotch bonnet is not easy to find in South Africa unless you visit specialist stores. So, as I am trying to use only easy to find and affordable ingredients, instead, I have used sweet potato, courgette and red chillies. My recipe is adaptation which is far from the original but for the purposes of an imaginary travel experience, this Vegan Thieboudienne below provided much excitement as Thieboudienne was something I’d never heard of or tried before. And it is delicious!).

[recipe]

[recipe title=”Vegan Senegalese Thieboudienne” servings=”4″ time=”30 minutes to 1 hour” difficulty=”easy]

[recipe-ingredients]

– 500g basmati rice

– 6 cloves garlic, grated

– 3 small onions, chopped

– 3 fresh tomato, chopped

– 3 tablespoons tomato puree

– 1 green pepper, chopped

– 1 yellow pepper, chopped

– 2 sweet potato, chopped

– 2 aubergine, chopped

– 1 carrot, chopped

– 3 courgettes, chopped

– 1 small butternut, chopped

– 200g cabbage, chopped

– 3 red chillies

– salt and pepper

– vegetable oil

– 100g tamarind or lemon juice

– coriander to garnish

[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]

1. In a pot, add 1 onion, 1 tomato, 1 chillie and two garlic cloves in oil.

2. Once brown, add peppers, sweet potato, aubergine, carrot, courgette, cabbage and butternut.

3. Leave to cook on low heat.

4. In a blender, add remaining garlic, onion, tomatoes, tomato puree, salt pepper, tamarind and a cup of water.

5. Blend into a paste.

6. Heat a separate pan, add oil and the red paste.

7. Cook paste for ten minutes.

8. Add 3 cups of water and basmati rice.

9. Stir occasionally, cook until rice and vegetables are soft and ready to eat.

10. Combine the vegetables and rice, garnish with coriander

[/recipe-directions]

[recipe-notes]

Tips & Tricks: The rice is best soaked and rinsed beforehand.

[/recipe-notes]

[/recipe]

[recipe]

[recipe title=”Vegan Cambodian Amok” servings=”minimum 30″ time=”1 hour” difficulty=”medium”]

[recipe-ingredients]

2 limes

5 garlic gloves

2 teaspoons ginger

1 red chilli

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

2 cans coconut milk

2 cups water

2 aubergine, chopped

1 butternut, chopped

coriander, to ganish

lemon, to garnish

rice

[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]

1. Add the juice of both limes, the skin of one lime, garlic, ginger, chilli, turmeric, salt and sugar into a blender and blend into a paste.

2. Add the curry paste, coconut milk and water to a pot and bring to the boil.

3. Add the vegetables and lower the heat.

4. Cook on a gentle heat until the vegetables are done.

5. Serve with rice, coriander and a squeeze of lime.

[/recipe-directions]

[recipe-notes]

Tips & Tricks: The lime skin/rind is a replacement for lemongrass. If you find lemongrass, feel free to use that instead of lime rind.
[/recipe-notes]

[/recipe]

[recipe]

[recipe title=”Plant Based Dumplings” servings=”minimum 30″ time=”1 hour” difficulty=”medium”]

[recipe-ingredients]

Option 1:

– half an onion, chopped
– 1 garlic cloves, grated
– 1 cup dried soya mince
– half cup water
– soya sauce, to taste
– salt, to taste

Option 2:

– 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
– 1 apple, grated
– half cup red cabbage
– half cup white cabbage
– 1 red chilli, chopped
– coriander, to taste

Option 3:

– 2 garlic cloves, grated
– 1 small sweet potato, roasted
– half cup butternut, roasted
– 1 small beetroot, roasted
– salt and pepper, to taste

[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]

Option 1:

1. Fry the onion and garlic until brown.

2. Add soya mince, water, soya sauce and salt.

3. Cook for 20 mins, then set aside.

Option 2:

1. Fry ginger and apple.

2. Add cabbage, chilli and coriander

3. Once cabbage is soft, then set aside.

Option 3:

1. Make sure to roast the sweet potato, butternut and beetroot.

2. Season with garlic and salt.

3. Set aside.

To fold:

1. Watch the video below.

[/recipe-directions]

[recipe-notes]

Tips & Tricks: When experimenting with your own dumpling fillings, keep the mixture as solid as possible. If it’s too soft or watery, it will be difficult to fold.
[/recipe-notes]

[/recipe]

[recipe]

[recipe title=”Vegan Bibimbap” servings=”2″ time=”30 mins” difficulty=”easy”]

[recipe-ingredients]

– oil for cooking

– 1 cup Thai rice

– 1 handful shiitake mushrooms, sliced

– 1 carrot, julienned

– 1 courgette, julienned

– 1 handful mange tout

– 1 red pepper, julienned

– 1 yellow pepper, julienned

– 1 cup soya mince

– sesame seeds (garnish)

Sauce:

– 1 heaped tablespoon Gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)

– 1 quarter cup soya sauce

– 2-3 tablespoons rice vinegar

– 2-3 tablespoons sesame oil

– 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]

1. Fry each of the vegetables and the protein separately and set aside.

2. Cook the rice and set aside.

3. For the sauce, put all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until smooth.

4. To assemble, put some rice in each bowl.

5. Add each of the following to the bowl: mushroom, carrot, mange tout, courgette, red and yellow pepper.

6. Place 2-3 tablespoons of the sauce in each bowl.

7. Garnish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

[/recipe-directions]

[recipe-notes]

Tips & Tricks: You can make the Gochujang sauce and keep it as a condiment. I enjoy making roast potatoes and sweet potatoes and covering them in the sauce. This is a speedy comfort meal.

[/recipe-notes]

[/recipe]

[recipe]

[recipe title=”Vegan Thai Green Curry Paste” servings=”4″ time=”15 mins” difficulty=”easy”]

[recipe-ingredients]

– 1 teaspoon coriander seeds

– 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

– 1 teaspoon black pepper corns

– 1 teaspoon turmeric

– 3 whole green chillies (more if desired)

– half a green pepper, chopped

– 5 garlic cloves

– 2 stalks lemongrass

– 1 tablespoon ginger (grated)

– half bunch spring onion

– juice of one lemon

– juice and zest of one lime

– half cup oil

– salt to taste

[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]

1. Add all the ingredients into a jug.

2. Blend it all with a hand blender.

3. Use immediately or store in a glass bottle and refrigerate.

[/recipe-directions]

[recipe-notes]

Tips & Tricks: You can keep this for up to a month in the fridge. You can use this paste to make Thai Green Curry or a Spicy Butternut soup. Watch the video for more.

[/recipe-notes]

[/recipe]

[recipe]

[recipe title=”Vegan Mayonnaise” servings=”20″ time=”5 mins” difficulty=”easy”]

[recipe-ingredients]

– 1 cup vegetable oil
– half cup soya milk
– juice of half a lemon
or 3 tbsp vinegar
– salt (to taste)
– mustard (to taste)

[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]

1. Add all the ingredients into a jug.

2. Blend it all with a hand blender.

3. Adjust salt, lemon/vinegar and mustard to taste.

[/recipe-directions]

[recipe-notes]

Tips & Tricks: You need to use soya milk as it has lecithin. Other non-dairy milks do not contain lecithin. The chemical reaction that occurs with soya milk and an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar, happens as a result of lecithin. You can use create a non-dairy sweet cream by leaving out the salt and mustard, and replace them with sugar or your desired sweetener.

[/recipe-notes]

[/recipe]

[recipe]

[recipe title=”Three Plus Three Equals Curry Recipe” servings=”2″ time=”30 mins to 1 hour” difficulty=”easy”]

[recipe-ingredients]

– 1 onion
– 1 teaspoon garlic, grated
– 1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped
– 1 teaspoon turmeric
– 1 teaspoon cumin
– 1 teaspoon chillie
– 500g to 1kg of vegetables or legumes

[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]

1. Heat some oil in a pan.

2. Throw in the first three – onion, ginger and garlic. (Note: heaped teaspoons are best).

3. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.

4. Throw in the second three – turmeric, cumin and chilli. (a normal teaspoon each for 500g, heaped teaspoons for 1kg)

5. Cook for a minute or two until everything is slightly browned.

6. Add in your vegetables or legumes.

7. Cook on medium heat, stirring every few minutes.

8. Add a little water any time you notice your food sticking.

9. Once cooked, enjoy with rice, roti or bread.

[/recipe-directions]

[recipe-notes]

Tips & Tricks: You can make this oil free by cooking the onions, garlic, ginger and spices in water. The fastest curry to make is using canned beans, which can be ready in 10-15 mins.

[/recipe-notes]

[/recipe]

The peanut plant probably originated in Peru or Brazil in South America. As early as 1500 B.C., the Incans of Peru used peanuts as sacrificial offerings and entombed them with their mummies to aid in the spirit life. Tribes in central Brazil also ground peanuts with maize to make a drink.

European explorers first discovered peanuts in Brazil. Peanuts were grown as far north as Mexico when the Spanish began their exploration of the new world. The explorers took peanuts back to Spain, and from there traders and explorers spread them to Asia and Africa. Africans were the first people to introduce peanuts to North America beginning in the 1700s.

Groundnuts/peanuts are not native to Africa. They were brought to the continent from South America by Spanish and Portuguese colonists. Therefore, though we don’t know when the first African groundnut stew was made, we do know it couldn’t have been before the groundnuts themselves arrived in Africa in the early 1560s. From there, variations on the stew began appearing throughout West Africa.

[recipe]

[recipe title=”Gambian Peanut Stew” servings=”3-4″ time=”30 minutes to 1 hour” difficulty=”easy]

[recipe-ingredients]

– 1 can tomatoes or 3 fresh tomatoes

– 2 tblsp peanut butter

– 1 onion

– 3 cloves garlic

– 1 tsp paprika

– 1 tsp cumin

– Red chillie or scotch bonnet (according to taste)

– 250ml veg stock

– Salt

– 250g chopped sweet potato/pumpkin

– 1 tin of kidney beans

– 200g green vegetables

[/recipe-ingredients]

[recipe-directions]

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender except the pumpkin, beans and greens.

2. Blend into a paste.

3. Heat oil and add paste in a pot.

4. Cook for 5-10 minutes.

5. Add the pumpkin, beans and greens.

6. Cook until vegetables are done.

7. Serve with rice. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

[/recipe-directions]

[recipe-notes]

Tips & Tricks: Use the peanut paste to cook plain rice for a quick, delicious lazy meal.

[/recipe-notes]

[/recipe]

French bread is sacred here. And baguettes, especially, are not expensive in this city compared to everything else. Until the late 70s, the price of bread was regulated by law and today there’s still a tradition of keeping it affordable. I spent €1 on my baguette today and used a third of it for this meal. An interesting fact about the French and their bread is that they have a bread law, Le Décret Pain, which although does not regulate the price of bread, regulates its ingredients. A baguette is only allowed to contain flour, water, salt and yeast. French bread is therefore very good quality and easier to digest than many commercially produced breads.

Whether in France or elsewhere, this is possibly one of the easiest meals to make. Vary your choice of bread and play with garnishes and spices. My tip is that a little chilli goes a long way…

what you need:
bread of your choice
1 avocado
juice of half a lime
olive oil
salt

optional (pictured here):
black sesame seeds
chilli flakes
cornichons, sliced
1-2 shallots, sliced

how to:
Toast your bread.
Mash the avocado with a few swigs of olive oil, lime juice and salt.
Spread the mashed avocado on the toast.
Garnish with chilli flakes, black sesame, shallots and cornichons (optional)

The idea is this: Don’t complicate your life! If you’re unfamiliar with making curry or with using spices then start simply.. Once you get the hang of it, then start expanding on your knowledge and playing around with other spices…

1 x onion
1 tsp garlic, grated
1 tsp ginger, grated

Those are the first three. Throw them into some oil until the onions are translucent.
Then add the next three (the spices).

1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli (fresh or powdered)

Then add about 3 cups of vegetables or legumes. Let it cook until it tastes good. Then enjoy! Below is an example of what I like making – a tomato curry that I eat with toast and wash down with rice milk tea…

And lastly, here is a short film where I taught this 3 + 3 = curry method to two of my vegan filmmaking friends, Dana & Lou, of Plantbasedtraveller. Watch it… And also watch some of their other inspiring films from their travels around Lima, Cusco, Paris and New York…

This recipe combines ingredients that are all good for neurogenesis, enhancing memory, and even preventing dementia and Alzheimer’s. It is inspired by my obsession with neuroscience, haldi milk (also called manja milk or turmeric milk) and bulletproof coffee.

As with all my recipes there is no exact recipe. Play around with it until it tastes good to you. This is roughly what I do…

1 cup boiling water
a green tea bag/leaves
1 tblsp coconut oil
1 tsp turmeric (fresh/powdered)
a few squeezes of lemon juice

Mix it all together, let it cool and sip it down. Then enjoy that brain zing!

/// tea cup by my favourite ceramicist Clementina van der Walt ///