Vegan Pizza

Most non vegans would probably turn their nose up at the idea of pizza without cheese. However I have always preferred a pizza that has a really good tomato base and topping rather than one smothered in cheese.....but of you really cannot imagine a cheese-less pizza then why not make your own cashew nut cheese by blending soaked cashews, with a small amount of water, tahini and spices of your choice. Its delish!.

Grilled vegetable pizza w. a cashew nut cheese

Pizza Base:

300 grams strong bread flour

1 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp salt

200 ml warm water

1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Place the flour, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the water and oil and stir with a wooden spoon until evenly mixed.

3. Lightly flour a surface and kneed this mixture for 5 minutes. cover with a tea towl and set aside whilst making the topping.

Tomato Sauce:

2 table spoons olive oil

5 large tomatoes (chopped)

2 shallots (finely chopped)

1 red chilli (finely chopped)

3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)

5 sundried tomatoes (chopped)

2 sprigs rosemary

2 tea spoons thyme leaves

small handfull of basil (torn)

salt and pepper

1. Place a large pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Add the shallots, chili and garlic and allow to soften.

2. Add the rosemary and thyme and cook for another minute or so before adding the tomatoes and seasoning.

3. Allow the tomato mixture to reduce for around 5-10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

4. Finally add the sun dried tomatoes and basil, transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth.

Assembly

1. Pre heat you oven to 240 degrees C.

2. On a lightly floured surface roll out your pizza dough.

3. Place the dough on a baking tray (a pizza tray is best). Spoon a generous layer of the tomato sauce onto the base and add topping of your choice. (I topped mine with grilled aubergine, peppers & courgette, basil oil and cashew nut 'cheese')

4. Place the pizza into the oven for 8-10 minutes.

Enjoy

Mmmm curry. Nothing betters you!

Indian cuisine has to be my favourite. Growing up in Wembley (one of the largest Indian communities in London), meant weekly visits to one of the many Indian restaurants in the area.

However, although I developed a palate for hot, fragrant curries at a young age, it was not until I visited India a year and a half ago that I really started to appreciate the art of Indian cooking.

The food I ate on this trip was the most delicious, memorable, and inspiring I have ever eaten, and as soon as I returned home, true, home-made Indian food started to make up for the majority of my diet.

Tonight I cooked two of my favourite Indian dishes;

Stuffed baby aubergine and potato

Black eyed bean curry

Black Eyed Bean Curry

Ingredients

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

pinch asafoetida powder

1 onion

1 table spoon ginger - garlic paste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 tea spoon chilli powder

1 400g tin black eyed beans

3 large tomatoes

1 teaspoon Garam masala

1 teaspoon sugar

Method:

1. Add the sunflower oil to a heavy bottomed saucepan

2. Add the cumin seeds and leave to cook for around one minute before adding the onion and asafoetida.

3. Once the onion begins to brown stir through the ginger-garlic paste, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and salt and leave to cook for a few minutes.

4. Add the black beans and chopped tomatoes, followed by the sugar and garam masala.

5. Place the lid on the saucepan and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle with fresh coriander before serving

Enjoy