is another traditional Middle-Eastern dish. There is no need to soak the lentils beforehand.
2 onions
2 cloves garlic
As required vegetable oil
225g/½ lb/l/1/3 cups brown lentils Juice of 1 lemon 2 tsp cumin seeds As required sea salt As required freshly ground black pepper
1) Chop the onions. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and sauté the onions until lightly browned.
2) Crush the garlic.
3) Add the lentils, garlic, lemon juice, and enough water to cover the lentils, about ¾–l inch (2–2.5 cm) over the surface. Cover, bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer.
4) Crush the cumin seeds. After the lentils have been cooking for about 15 minutes add the cumin, salt and pepper. Cover the saucepan again, and leave to simmer for a further 10–15 minutes, by which time the water should be absorbed and the lentils tender (if not, then raise the heat and uncover the saucepan).
5) Leave to cool, then chill in the refrigerator.
Chick Pea Salad with Tahini Dressing
This has basically the same ingredients as hummus, but the beans are left whole for an interesting contrast of textures. A quick recipe. Suitable for One.
455g/l lb/2½ cups or 2 tins (cans)
(c.400g/14–16 oz) each cooked drained
chick peas (garbanzo beans)
3–4 tbs tahini
Juice of 2 lemons
4–6 tbs water
1–2 cloves garlic
4 spring onions (scallions)
2 tsp whole cumin
3 tbs finely chopped parsley
As required sea salt
As required freshly ground black pepper
1) In a small mixing bowl cream the tahini with the lemon juice and water.
2) Crush the garlic, chop the spring onions (scallions) finely, and grind the cumin. Add these ingredients to the tahini and mix well.
3) Pour the dressing ingredients over the cooked and drained chick peas (garbanzo beans). Season and sprinkle with parsley.
Black-eyed Bean Salad
This is a French-style salad. Other fresh herbs can be used in addition to. or instead of, parsley.
170g/6 oz/1 cup dried black-eyed beans
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbs olive oil
45g/1½ oz/1½ cups fresh parsley
As required sea salt
As required freshly ground black pepper
1) The night before, cover the beans with boiling water and leave to soak overnight.
2) In the morning, drain them, cover with lots of fresh water, bring to the boil, then lower the heat. Sprinkle in a little lemon juice, then cover and leave to simmer until tender, about 45 minutes. After about half an hour add a little more lemon juice (this keeps the white colour of the beans from becoming brown), and a few minutes before the end of the cooking time add a little sea salt.
3) Drain the beans, and while still hot, pour the remainder of the lemon juice and the olive oil over them. Stir well. Leave to cool, then chill.
4) Chop the parsley finely. Just before serving stir the parsley into the beans, and add salt and pepper to taste.
Three Bean Salad
This is a version of the American classic.
225g/½ lb fresh or frozen green beans
1 onion
225g/¾ lb/11/3 cups cooked drained kidney beans 225g/½ lb/11/3 cups cooked drained chick peas (garbanzo beans) 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil 4 tbs cider vinegar or wine vinegar As required sea salt As required freshly ground black pepper
1) Cook the green beans in a little salted water until just tender. Drain and cool. (If the beans are whole then slice them.)
2) Slice the onion very thinly.
3) Combine the kidney beans, chick peas (garbanzo beans), and green beans in a bowl. Add the onion. Pour over the oil. vinegar and seasoning and mix well.
4) Cover the bowl and refrigerate for several hours to marinate before serving.
Millet Salad
Millet is a very nutritious grain and in this recipe forms the basis of a tasty salad.
170g/6 oz/¾ cup millet
As required sea salt
As required freshly ground black pepper
½ green pepper
4 spring onions (scallions)
2 sticks celery
30g/l oz/1/3 cup sunflower seeds 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil 1 tbs cider vinegar or wine vinegar 2 tbs minced parsley
1) Cook the millet until tender in three times its volume of water, with a little sea salt added (about 20 minutes). Cool, then chill.
2) Chop finely the green pepper, spring onions (scallions) and celery. Toast the sunflower seeds under a grill (broiler) until lightly browned.
3) Fluff the millet with a fork. Add the oil and vinegar and mix in.
4) Stir in the chopped vegetables and parsley and the toasted sunflower seeds. Adjust the seasoning as required.
Fruit and Nut Coleslaw
Now that vegan mayonnaise is readily available in health food shops, lovers of coleslaw can easily ring the changes. A quick recipe.
1 small white cabbage
2 dessert apples
1 tin (c.225g)/l can (c.8 oz) pineapple chunks
115g/4 oz/½ cup salted peanuts
115g/4 oz/½ cup vegan mayonnaise
1) Shred the cabbage and dice the apple.
2) Combine with all the remaining ingredients in a salad bowl and serve.
Piquant Coleslaw
1 head (900g/2 lb) white cabbage
4 sticks celery
1 green pepper
1 small onion
A dozen green olives
4–6 tbs vegan mayonnaise
A few drops Tabasco sauce
1) Grate the cabbage coarsely. Chop the celery and green pepper. Chop the onion and olives finely.
2) Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
Apple and Mushroom Coleslaw
1 small head (565–680g/11/4–1½ lb) white cabbage 1 small onion 2 sweet apples 115g/4 oz/2 cups mushrooms 4–6 tbs vegan mayonnaise Juice of 1 lemon As required sea salt As required freshly ground black pepper
1) Grate the cabbage and onion.
2) Peel the apples if desired. Dice the apples and mushrooms.
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