This edition of Bhabi’s Corner was compiled with spring in mind! Lightness was on our minds as we selected some recipes from Margaret Hirsch’s ‘Vegan Cookbook’. You can revitalize yourself with a sip of the Refreshing Iced Tea or be delighted by the Hash browns that can be doubled as a light meal or standalone creation if you have little time to spare. The Executive Director or Hirsch’s Home Stores, Maragaret Hirsch has become a champion for women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship in South Africa. She is also on enthusiastic ‘foodie’ and loves to dabble with different ingredients and ways to prepare them, with her ‘Vegan Cookbook’ being one of the 3 cookbooks she has written over the years. ‘Vegan Cookbook’ is valued at R299.99, but is now on special at R199.99 at all Hirsch’s Home Stores. Get your copy now!
Recipes
Refreshing Iced Tea
INGREDIENTS
• 1.5 Litre cold water, divided into 3 large family-sized orange-pekoe black tea bags – or 6 small
•60ml sugar, agave, or maple syrup to taste (optional)
• 500ml ice
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Add 1 litre of cold water to a medium pot over medium-high heat.
2. Remove any paper tags from the tea bags, leaving the strings attached.
3. Tie all of them together and drop the tea bags into the water.
(This will help when it’s time to remove them).
4. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let the tea bags simmer in the water for 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Remove the pot from the heat, and discard the tea bags.
6. Stir in the sugar until it has dissolved. Stir in the ice.
7. Add the additional 500ml of cold water, then transfer the tea to a pitcher, and chill in the refrigerator.
8. To naturally flavour your iced tea, try adding a slice of lemon, orange, mint leaves, peach, or berries to individual servings.
Serves: 6
Hash Browns
INGREDIENTS
• 3 large potatoes
• 125ml all-purpose flour
• 2 spring onions (chopped)
• 15ml olive oil
• 5ml paprika
• 1.25ml cayenne pepper
• 2.5ml sea salt
• 2.5ml ground black pepper
For Frying: 15ml Olive Oil
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Peel the potatoes and then use a food processor to grate them.
Add the shredded potato to a bowl and pour water over them. Rinse until the water runs clear and drain well.
2. Using your hands squeeze out the excess water from the shredded potato and then add to a mixing bowl with the flour, chopped spring onions, olive oil, paprika, cayenne pepper, sea salt and ground black pepper and mix together.
3. Divide into 6 portions and roll into balls. Then form into a patty shape.
4. Heat a pan with 15ml olive oil and when hot, add in the hash browns.
5. Fry until golden and crispy on both sides, around 3-5 minutes each side.
6. Serve with a dollop of vegan mayo, some tomato sauce and some chopped spring onions on top (optional).
Serves: 6
Red Lentil Curry
INGREDIENTS
• 250ml dry red lentils
• 30ml virgin coconut oil
• 180ml finely diced yellow onion (about 1/2 medium onion)
•3 garlic cloves, minced
• 15ml minced ginger, 15ml brown sugar
•375ml crushed tomatoes,
• 15ml yellow curry powder
• 5ml ground coriander (dhania) – optional
• 1ml – 2ml cayenne pepper, depending on your desired level of spice
• 7.5ml kosher salt, 375ml vegetable broth
• 125ml canned full-fat coconut milk, optional Garnish: sliced scallions, chopped peanuts
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Rinse the red lentils and pick out any dark or discoloured pieces.
2. Drain and set the lentils aside.
3. In a large skillet or small pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.
4. Add the onions & cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring them so they don’t burn.
5. Next, add the garlic and ginger and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
6. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, curry powder, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir to incorporate all the spices with the tomatoes. 7. Next, add the lentils.
The rinsed lentils likely will have hardened into a solid chunk. Use a spatula to break them up in the tomato sauce. 8. Then, add the vegetable broth.
9. Cover the skillet or pot with its lid and bring everything to a boil.
10. Reduce the heat to low and let the beans simmer for another 17 to 20 minutes until the lentils are fully cooked and tender. 11. After 10 minutes of simmering, stir the lentils to make sure that they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot or pan.
If the lentil curry looks too solid, add another 125ml of water. Alternatively, if the curry looks too runny, let it simmer uncovered for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Note: the curry thickens as it cools. 12. Stir in the coconut milk and turn off the heat.
13. Divide the red lentil curry into bowls and serve with jasmine rice, basmati rice, or brown rice. The curry is great with my scallion pancakes too!
14. Garnish the curry with sliced scallions and chopped peanuts, if you like.
Serves: 4-6
Notes:
•You can use any sugar or sweetener like honey in place of the brown sugar.
I slightly prefer the curry when it’s made with 15ml of sugar. However, if you think that’s too much, stick to 10ml.
• I prefer to use full-fat coconut milk because it adds more flavor to the dish.
You can substitute that with light coconut milk. If you have leftover coconut milk and you’re not planning to use it again anytime soon, pour the coconut milk into an ice cube tray and freeze it.
