"You're such a fascist Neil..."

Lentils will always and forever remind me of "The Young Ones". I adored Neil completely. I even went as far as to buy 'Neil's Heavy Concept album' on LP (which I have since lost....tears are flowing). Neil's lentils were boiled or burned but his big hippy heart was in the right place.

I like to think that the following recipe (which is Ohmigod-delicious) is where Neil's culinary endeavours may have led him. It seems really complicated but make it once and you'll have it memorized for next time. I apologise for the less-than-spectacular photo but I forgot to take one until after dinner,-as a result, all you're getting is a photo of the leftovers in Mr's lunchbox for tomorrow:)

Oops, and a blurry one at that! However, I really must share this with all intrepid cooks out there. It's really a two-part endeavour. Part 1 is an onion and vegan parmesan pilaf, and part 2 in the lentil bhuja. Here we go with part 1;

Vegan Onion and Parmesan Pilaf


1 1/2 brown onions finely chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed or finely chopped.
60 g lite Nuttelex
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups stock (I use MASSEL chicken stock)
1/2 cup vegan parmesan*
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh continental parsley

(1) Fry off onions and garlic in nuttelex over medium heat until golden, add rice and stock
(2) Bring to boil the reduce to a simmer for 10 mins until most liquid is absorbed
(3) Add peas and vegan parmesan, simmer until all liquid is full absorbed
(4) Season to taste
(5) Fork through fresh parsley.

Lentil Bhuja

Balls
1 cup green lentils well-cooked
1 1/2 onions grated
1 medium potato grated
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup plain flour

Mix well in a large ball and form into walnut-sized balls. Refrigerate on a foil-lined tray for 1/2 hour and then fry in 1/4 inch of oil in a heavy based pan until golden. Drain on paper towelling.

Sauce
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic crushed or finely chopped
1 inch ginger grated
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup passata
1/2 cup Massel chicken stock
1/2 cup Soy Milk
Salt and pepper to taste.
2 carrots sliced finely
2 cups green beans (or snake beans) topped and tailed and halved.

(1) Fry off garlic and ginger til fragrant and add all other ingredients bar veges
(2) Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes
(3) Add lentil balls and veges and simmer gently (covered) for about 35 minutes

There you go. Do yourself and your wee tastebuds a huge favour and give this one a go.

* Vegan parmesan can either be bought ready-made at health food stores or made ;

1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Just bung the lot in the food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Store in an airtight container and use as you would powdered parmesan (I'm still working on a version I can shave and/or melt!)

Oh yes, I should mention, if you need more carbs (and who would?) You could serve this with pita bread. And if you need more artistry you could find a cilantro or coriander sprig to do suitably artistic things with.

The sad part of today: On my walk to Lawson (1/2 hr-good girl) I came across a beautiful dark brown wallaby that had been hit by a car. At least they had the decency to drag the body off the highway I guess. He looked very much as he did in life, so it must have been recent. Poor baby.
The bright part of today: Waiting at the shops for Mr (who drove down to meet me) I heard a constant caterwauling. At first I thought it was a child, but then realised it was a bird,-but not any bird I had ever heard before. Myself, a concreter and a random woman shopper went searching for the progenitor of all the fuss. The concreter assured me that it was a young Cuckoo. It had the body of a Kookaburra, the head of an albino raven and the beak and talons of an eagle and lordy was he kicking up a fuss about something. The surprisingly knowledgeable concreter talked up at him with such profundities as 'Hey! Stop your fussin' mate, it's just a storm!'. I thought it was kind of sweet that he talked to animals. Apparently he is originally a native of indonesia (the bird, not the concreter). They like cicadas for breakfast and (apparently) get quite vocally worried about approaching storms. It was a very sweet highlight to my day.