Mainly meatless

It’s always a good idea to incorporate more vegetables into your diet as it is to incorporate more legumes.

Both are foundation ingredients in our cuisine, and are nutritious, tasty, sustaining and low calorie.

Split peas transform into a hearty, spicy and delicious kitcheree, an East Indian dish made with split peas and rice, brought here by our Indian ancestors who strived to eat meatless for religious or economic reasons.

Eggplant shows up weekly at the markets, when prepared with a heady spice mix and cooked in a light coconut-curry broth, it’s another non-meat super tasty meal.

The mighty ochro is not only good in callaloo, or fried and sandwiched in sada, it gets real creole flavour when cooked in coconut milk, with rice and saltfish to make a satisfying one-dish meal, a bit of chicken or beef can be added to the pot if you so desire.

So the options are endless, the only prerequisite? Have the veggies and legumes handy.

Spicy eggplant with lemongrass and coconut

1½ lbs eggplant

2 tbs coconut oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion

1-inch piece of ginger, chopped

1 8-inch stalks fresh lemongrass, finely sliced

½ hot pepper

1 tbs turmeric

1 tsp chilli powder

Sauce

½ tbs sugar

1½ cups coconut milk

1 tbs fish sauce

½ cup water

⅓ cup finely sliced chadon beni leaves

Partially peel and then cut eggplant into 3-inch logs or wedges.

Sprinkle with salt and let stand for 15 minutes.

Place the garlic, onion, ginger, lemongrass and hot pepper into a food processor and proceed to a fine paste or until very finely chopped.

Rinse well and pat dry.

Combine turmeric and chilli powder, rub the eggplant with the spice rub.

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce.

Heat oil in a sauté pan, quickly fry the eggplant until lightly browned, remove.

Add the lemongrass mixture and cook until mixture is a bit brown but not burnt, you may add a little oil.

Now return the eggplant to the pot. Add the sauce, and cook until bubbly, add a little water and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in cilantro or chadon beni.

Serve hot with rice or roti

Ochro rice with coconut

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2 oz salted cod

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 hot pepper, seeded and chopped

2 pimento peppers, seeded and chopped

12 ochroes, sliced

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 cups rice

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup coconut milk

salt to taste

Soak salted cod in cool water for about 30 minutes, drain and shred into bits.

In a large sauté pan heat oil, add onion, garlic and peppers sauté until fragrant.

Add salted cod bits, stir then add okra and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and stir well.

Add rice and turn to coat rice grains with oil and flavourings.

Add stock, coconut milk and stir to combine.

Bring to a boil, then cover.

Cook for about 20 minutes until rice grains are tender.

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serves 6 to 8

Split pea kitcheree

½ cup yellow split peas, washed and picked over

1 cup parboiled rice

2 tbs vegetable. oil

1 2-inch stick cinnamon

2 sticks clove

1 large onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ tsp saffron powder, turmeric

2½ cups broth

salt to taste

Cook split peas in water for about 10 minutes, drain.

Heat oil in saucepan; add garlic, cinnamon, cloves, onion and ginger.

Add saffron and cook for a few minutes, add split peas and rice, stir and fry for a few minutes more.

Add broth, bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Fluff with a fork and serve.

Serves 4

Lentil soup with cornmeal dumplings

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 tbs vegetable oil

⅓ cup chopped celery

1 tsp ground cumin/geera

4 cloves garlic

¼ cup fresh thyme

1lb lentil peas, washed and picked over

½ chopped hot pepper

1 tbs butter

9 cups vegetable stock or water

In a large stock pot or saucepan heat oil, add garlic, celery, thyme, and onions, sauté until fragrant, add carrots and cumin, add lentils and sauté for a few more minutes.

Add stock and cover and simmer until lentils are soft and melted, about 40 to 50 minutes.

Drop dumplings into boiling soup and cook until puffed and light, about 10 minutes.

Stir in butter.

Serves 6 to 8

Cornmeal dumplings

1 cup flour

1 cup cornmeal

2 tsp baking powder

1½ tsp ground, roasted cumin

½ tsp salt

1 tbs butter

In a bowl combine all ingredients and cut butter into flour until texture is grainy.

Add enough water to make a pliable dough.

Gently press the dough ⅓ into a circle about ¾-inch thick, cut into small, one-inch squares and drop into boiling soup.

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