I believe home cooking is imperative for the physical and mental health of us all, as well as for our planet.
In this column, I offer simple healthy recipes using plant-based ingredients for nutritious home cooked meals that are enriched with vibrant flavours and colours; and are very quick and easy to prepare.
By stimulating our taste buds, the fragrance of a nutritious home-cooked meal sets the pace for good digestion. Sharing a meal over good conversation promotes general well being, and, by preparing our own meals and snacks, we minimise waste and packaging.
This meal of lentils cooked in tomatoes, on grilled polenta slabs, drizzled with tahina sauce and served with freshly picked green salad from your garden, is a perfect spring meal. It is vegan and gluten-free.
You can make the lentil dish spicy or mild, the polenta with cheese if you prefer, and the tahina more like a dip — make the recipes your own, adapted to your family’s taste buds.
Hagar's lentil dish
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup of dried lentils (washed and picked over for stones) soaked for 1 hour and cooked for hour. Strain and reserve the cooking water.
¼ cup olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 carrots cut lengthwise and chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp ground cumin seed
1 tsp ground coriander seed
¼ tsp ground chilli (optional)1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 Tbsp tomato paste
Method
In a deep frying pan, heat the oil, add spices and fry for a few seconds, until fragrant, add onions and carrots, add garlic and stir, add the lentils and tomatoes. Keep the cooking rapid. Stir in the tomato paste and enough lentil cooking water to create a curry-like consistency. Add more water if needed.
Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes. Add salt and taste.
POLENTA
This is a generic recipe to prepare polenta. You can use the polenta whichever way you desire. For example, once set, you could cut it into triangles and deep fry it to make ‘‘polenta chips’’, or cut into bigger pieces to be shallow-fried or grilled.
Ingredients
1 cup dry polenta
2 cups boiling water (or more if needed)
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
Ground black pepper to taste
Method
Grease or line with grease-proof paper a medium-sized oven dish. Place the boiling water in a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil, add the salt and oil. Now on low heat, carefully pour the polenta into the pot in a steady stream, while stirring fast to prevent from forming lumps. Continue cooking and stirring until the polenta has thickened and the grain is cooked (not crunchy to taste). You can add more water to create a soft consistency.
Now pour the cooked polenta into the prepared dish and smooth the surface, then put aside for at least half an hour to allow to set before cutting.
TAHINA DIP
Ingredients
½ cup tahini
juice of 1 lemon
cold water
salt
1 garlic clove minced
¼ tsp cumin
Method
Pour the tahini into a small bowl, add lemon, salt, cumin and minced garlic.
With a whisking motion, mix in the water a little at a time to create a silky texture.
It will thicken as you whisk.
For a dressing-like consistency add more water.
Adjust lemon and salt to taste.
Keep in a clean container in the fridge for a week or more.
- Hagar Ozri, The Organic Cook, is a qualified chef with 20 years experience in the health food industry. Currently, she is running cooking classes in Dunedin as well as catering for special dietary requirements. Hagar offers coaching and a private-chef service for those who are interested in healing using a plant-based diet. www.hagarozri.co.nz . (022)1723630.
Hagar Ozri vegan cooking class
Valley Project Community Rooms, 262 North Rd, Northeast Valley, Dunedin.
Thursday, October 25, 7.30pm-8.30pm.
$30.
