Recipe: Sweetcorn Shaak (curry) and rice within 30 minutes

This is one of my favourite dishes.
It doesn't take long to make and it's full of flavour and texture.

This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients for sweetcorn Shaak

•    1/2 a tablespoon of coconut oil
•    2 tomatoes – diced
•    1 fresh chilli – finely chopped
•    1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
•    1/2 a teaspoon of mustard seeds
•    2 sweet neem leaves
•    a pinch of asafetida
•    sweetcorn - frozen or a 340g tin
•    1 teaspoon of dried coriander powder
•    less than 1/4 of a teaspoon of turmeric
•    salt to taste
•    a tablespoon of lemon juice
•    1 handful of freshly chopped coriander
•    a handful of raw red skin peanut kernels  – about 30g

Ingredients for the rice 

•    a small teacup of brown rice
•    2 & 3/4 teacups of fresh water

How to make the Shaak

1.    Heat the oil in a pan, and add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, sweet neem leaves and asafetida when it’s hot
2.    Put the lid on and wait until the seeds begin to pop
3.    When the silence in between pops is longer, add raw peanuts, chilli and tomatoes and put the lid back on the pan – don’t be alarmed if it sizzles
4.    After a 2 minutes add the sweetcorn, salt, dried coriander powder and turmeric
5.    Taste it after it’s cooked for another 5 minutes and add the lemon juice if desired
6.    Finally, garnish with freshly chopped coriander 

How to make the rice

1.    Wash the rice, drain the water and put the rice in a pan
2.    Add 2 & 3/4 teacups of fresh water and leave it to cook on a high heat, keeping the lid off the pan
3.    When it begins to froth, place the lid on the pan, reduce the heat to its lowest setting and leave it for 20 minutes
4.    Keeping the lid on the pan, tilt the pan with the rice in it, to see if there's any water left in it - if there's a little left, cook it for another 5 minutes, otherwise turn it off

To serve, spread the rice across the plate to create a circle with a hole in the middle, where you can put the sweetcorn and enjoy

Serving suggestion

Put the rice in a bowl/cup and then tip it upside down on the plate, to create a mound of rice.
Place the mound on one side of the plate or in the centre and place the sweetcorn around it.
A variation
To mix it up a bit, add 1 teaspoon of desiccated coconut to the sweetcorn, 5 minutes before serving it. 

Recipe: Pilau Rice within 30 minutes

This dish takes less than 30 minutes to make. It's healthy, filling and can be eaten hot or cold.

This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients for vegan pilau rice

•    1/2 teaspoon of oil – I use sunflower oil or olive oil
•    1/4 teaspoon of mustard seeds
•    1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
•    2 cloves
•    1 stick of cinnamon
•    a handful of raw red skin peanut kernels  – about 30g
•    1 fresh chilli – finely chopped
•    2 carrots - chopped into small cubes
•    a handful of chopped fresh coriander
•    1 bowl of peas – about 150g
•    3/4 of a cup of rice  - brown or white
•    salt to taste
•    1/8 of a teaspoon of turmeric
•    2 and 1/4 teacups of water

How to make vegan pilau rice

1.    Soak the rice in hot water
2.    Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and when it’s hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon
3.    Put the lid on the pan and leave it on a low heat
4.    When the seeds begins to pop add the peanuts and chilli
5.    After 30 seconds, add the carrots and put the lid on the pan
6.    Wash and drain the rice
7.    After 2 minutes add the washed rice, 2 and 1/4 teacups of water, salt and turmeric
8.    Turn the heat up to medium high, put the lid on the pan and leave it to cook for 5 minutes
9.    Add the peas, stir, turn the heat down to a low setting and leave the contents to cook with the lid on the pan
10.    Cook on a low heat for 15 minutes
11.    Keeping the lid on the pan, tilt the pan towards you to see if there’s any excess water in it
12.    If the rice is fluffy and there’s no water left in the pan, turn the heat it off
13.    If not, continue cooking for another 5 minutes
14.    Add some coriander and serve in a bowl or a small plate 

Serving suggestion

Enjoy with some plain vegan yoghurt.

Proof that vegans can eat a WIDE range of interesting foods in MANY cuisines

I've heard people talk about the commonly held belief that vegetarians have a boring diet. I've heard them say that the mainstream view is, vegetarian meals are based on rice and chick peas. I've even read posts about it! I'm not sure why, but I haven't been part of such a conversation before, so I only know of it happening through others. Now, you can imagine the thoughts that arise about a vegan diet! When I've told people that I follow a vegan diet, I've often been asked 'What can you eat?' and I must admit; I've been pants at answering that, because I was so astonished that they thought I was so limited in what I can eat. I love food and if I had to eat the same things over and over again, I would not be very happy! This video says it better than I could, so have a watch. :) If you're up for it, keep these questions in mind as you watch the video.

1. Do vegans deny themselves pleasurable experiences when eating?

2. Can vegans only eat a few cuisines?

3. Would vegetarians or meat eaters ever find vegan food interesting?

The Head Chef of Saf briefly discusses his transformation to adopting a plant-based diet overnight. He mentions the benefits and says that he'd never go back!

More about this film...

The entire film lasts 30 minutes. It explores the benefits of being vegan. Some of these are: -

• an exciting lifestyle

• eating delicious food

• consuming healthy food

• tackling the ethics behind making this shift

• global challenges that we face now and in the future.

It was produced by The Vegan Society.

Will you make the connection and become part of the solution?

"I've found without question that the best way to lead others to a more plant-based diet is by example - to lead with your fork, not your mouth." Bernie Wilke