Freekeh

1 cup freekeh
2 cups water

Boil the freekeh in salted water over high heat for 10 minutes. Cover the pan and finish cooking in a hot oven for 30 minutes.

Carrots on the side

bunch of carrots
butter
fresh turmeric
ground ginger
ground coriander
fresh dill

Slice carrots on bias into rounds. In a saute pan, sweat the turmeric in butter. Add the dry spices. Toss in the carrots and add a big splash of water. Cover the pan and steam for 5 minutes until al dente. Use slotted spoon to move carrots to serving dish. Boil down the juice to a couple tablespoons. To serve, reheat the juice with a lump of butter, stir in the carrots and cover again until just hot through. Add the chopped dill at the last moment.

Walnut chicken

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 onions
2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
100g walnuts
1 lemon
2 cloves garlic
1 pomegranate
bunch of coriander

The butcher should hand over the bones with the thighs. Simmer these for an hour with an onion, a clove and some peppercorns to make a light stock. Strain it and reserve. Use the food processor to chop an onion, and sweat it in butter with 2 teaspoons fenugreek powder. Use the processor to chop the walnuts, then put them in with the onion, add also the stock and garlic, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add enough water to make it saucy. Blitz it in the food processor, seasoning at the same time with salt and lemon. Return it to the saucepan for reheating and serving.

Put the chicken thighs in a wide pan of cold water with a big spoonful of salt and place over a medium flame. Turn heat to low as it comes to the simmer. Poach gently for 8-10 minutes until the internal temp reaches 165. Serve immediately with reheated walnut sauce, pomegranate seeds and big leaves of coriander; or for serving later, remove thighs to the platter and let cool, then reheat in simmering poaching liquid for 5 minutes before garnishing.

Sweet potato muffins

340g sweet potato
110ml water
225g cooking apples
225g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
100g caster sugar
110g butter
1 egg
10ml milk
85g chopped dried dates

Preheat the oven to 9 and line muffin tin with 12 cases. Melt the butter in the microwave and let it cool.

Peel the sweet potato and cut into small dice. Put into a saucepan with the water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer very gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until quite soft. Do not let the mixture dry out; add more water if necessary. Meanwhile, peel and core the apples and cut into similar sized dice. Add to the softened sweet potato. Cook for another 10 minutes until the apple is also soft. Again do not let the mixture dry out; add more water if necessary. Remove from the heat when soft and mash with a potato masher to remove any lumps. Leave to cool a little. Whisk the egg with the milk then add to the sweet potato mixture. Add the cooled melted butter and dates.

Sift the flour with the bicarb, sugar and spices into a large bowl. Make a well in the flour and pour in the fruit mix. Mix quickly but thoroughly until everything is well combined. Spoon into the muffin cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the muffins are risen and firm and spring back lightly when pressed.

Credit to Vic and Vegpower

Okra & tomato beef

300g stew beef cut small
Teaspoon mustard seeds
Teaspoon cumin seeds
Teaspoon coriander seeds
Teaspoon madras curry powder
Chilli flakes
Full thumb of ginger
2 medium onions
1 celery
1 small carrot
10 handfuls of okra
5 cloves garlic
2 tins tomato plus 2 tins water
Teaspoon marmite
Teaspoon peanut butter 

Brown beef over high heat in Dutch oven and remove. Temper spices over medium heat, add ginger, add mirepoix and sweat. Add okra and keep stirring through its mucilaginous phase until the stringy stuff disappears. Then add garlic and tomato and water. Stir in marmite and peanut butter. Boil for 10 minutes over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer and add beef. Cook slowly for 2 hours. Serve with rice.