Curry Vegetable Pancakes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 leek, cut into thin strips

1 carrot, cut into thin strips

250 g/8 oz broccoli florets

315 g/10 oz canned butter beans, rinsed and drained

pasta and polenta pancakes

75 g/2 1/2 oz tiny dried pasta shapes, such as risoni or orzo, anellini, ditalini or conchigliette

1/2 cup/90 g/3 oz polenta

3/4 cup/185 ml/6 fl oz boiling water

1/2 cup/125 ml/4 fl oz milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/a cup/90 g/3 oz flour

butter

coconut curry sauce

15 g/ 1/2 oz butter

1 tablespoon curry powder or curry paste

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

11/z cups/375 ml/12 fl oz coconut cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

Method

1. To make pancakes, cook pasta in boiling water in a large saucepan following packet directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain again and set aside. Place polenta in a large bowl and stir in boiling water. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.

2. Add milk, egg, flour and pasta to polenta mixture and mix well to combine. Melt a little butter in a frying pan over a low heat and when butter starts to foam, pour 1/a cup/60 ml/2 fl oz batter into pan and cook for 2 minutes or until golden, turn over and cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove pancake, set aside and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter.

3. To make sauce, heat butter in a frying pan over a medium heat, add curry powder or paste, ginger and turmeric and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in coconut cream and coriander, bring to simmering and simmer for 1-2 minutes.

4. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium heat, add leek and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes or until just tender. Add carrot and broccoli and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes longer or until

vegetables are just tender. Add beans and cook for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. 5.To assemble, place a pancake on each serving plate, top with vegetable mixture, then with a second pancake. Spoon over sauce and serve immediately.

Cooking time: 55 minutes; preparation time: 45 minutes, serves 4-6

Red Lentil Felafel With Dip

Cooking time: 30 minutes - Preparation time 40 minutes Makes 24

Ingredients
500 g/1 Ib red lentils
2 cups/125 g/4 oz breadcrumbs, made from stale bread
1 onion, chopped
4 dried red chilies, crushed
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 eggs
vegetable oil for deep-frying

Minty Yogurt dip
2 tablespoons shredded fresh mint
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 cup / 200 g / 6½ OZ natural yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method
1. Place lentils and 4 cups/1 liter/1 ¾ pt water in a saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until lentils are tender and liquid is absorbed - there should be about 4 cups/1 liter/1¾ pt cooked lentils. Set aside to cool.
2. Place lentils, breadcrumbs, onion, chilies, parsley, garlic, cumin and eggs in a food processor and process until a soft ball forms. Take 2 tablespoons of mixture and shape into flat balls.
3. Heat oil in a large saucepan until a cube of bread dropped in browns in 50 seconds, then deep-fry felafel, a few at a time, for 4 minutes or until brown. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
4. To make dip, place mint, cumin, chili powder, yogurt and lemon juice in a bowl and mix to combine. Serve with felafel.

Tip from the chef
For a light meal, place felafel on flat bread, top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and finely sliced onions, then drizzle with the dip and roll up.

Ratatouille

Ingredients
250 g / 8oz small pickling onions
1 small eggplant, cut into 2 cm/ ¾ in cubes
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 2cm / ¾ in squares
4 zucchini, cut into 2 cm / ¾ in pieces
250 g / 8 oz cherry tomatoes
250g / 8 oz button mushrooms

Herb Marinade
2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 small fresh red chilies, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
½cup/125 ml/4 fl oz olive oil
½ cup/90 ml/3 fl oz red wine

Method
1.Cook onions in a saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain, cool and cut into halves.
2.To make marinade, place garlic, chilies, basil, oregano, oil and wine in a bowl and mix to combine. Add onions, eggplant, red pepper, zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms, toss to coat and marinate at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
3.Drain vegetables and reserve marinade. Thread vegetables onto lightly oiled skewers and cook on a preheated hot barbecue grill, basting occasionally with marinade, for 4-5 minutes each side, or until cooked.

Cooking time" 15 minutes; preparation time: 30 minutes; serves 8

Tip from the chef

Try a delicious variation serving these kebabs with Provencal relish (combine mayonnaise with chopped garlic and parsley).