May 2021 – ROOTING ABOOT: Voyage to Veganism

https://www.coop.co.uk/recipes/moroccan-inspired-vegetable-filo-pie

Glasgow’s continued lockdown does have advantages (a) No one can drop by just as dinner is being laid up (b) This means trying out new recipes without the consequence of serving sludge to unexpected guests.

This Moroccan-inspired recipe from the Co-op, however, turned out crispy and aromatic first time around and has something unusual: shawarma seasoning. Never heard of it. Googling came up with a variety of spices and combinations so I made my own based on personal preference.

If you can’t get your hands on any, try my homemade version made with ½ (half) teaspoon for each of the following:

ground coriander
ground cumin
smoked paprika
celery salt
6 cloves (ground)
garam masala
chilli powder
turmeric
ground cardamom
ground ginger
ground cinnamon

This makes roughly two tablespoons – use all of it.

Agave nectar or a sweetener of your choice easily replaces the honey to make this recipe fully vegan. My better half has an objectionable reaction to aubergines (turns green about the gills after eating them) so leek was a fine substitute.

Take it away Clashy boys (not the pie though). NOT THE PIE.

Sometimes a Bounty bar comes drifting wistfully into my mind like a warm summer breeze. You know, the soft crumbly coconut thing encased in thick chocolate….mmmmmm. Palm trees, sandy white beaches… the sea gently lapping by the shoreline in 1980s soft focus. This taste of paradise can now be engineered and constructed right here on the Clyde … without girders…or too much fuss using only four ingredients. That’s right – here in the west coast climes of Glasgow. Phew! Thank heavens for that.

Gather up your essentials.

If you don’t have a can of coconut milk, then half a block of pure creamed coconut made up to 200ml with boiling water can be used as an alternative.

Mix like your life depends on it …

Now mould into Bounty bar shapes and pop in the fridge for an hour.

Melt some chocolate and dunk away. You need at least 300g – dark, ‘milk’ and vegan nutty Topic did the job nicely.

And who needs the Caribbean anyway? St Ninian’s Isle beach in Shetland is just as beautiful as any far flung destination. Apparently wild swimming is all the rage now although a wetsuit is probably more preferable to a bikini just to be on the safe side – the shock to the system’ll do you good.