Chef Rachel Demuth shares inspiration from her cookery school for creating tasty and stylish Asian-flavoured nibbles that will go down a treat.

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Chef slarder Chef Rachel Demuth shares inspiration from her cookery school for creating tasty and stylish Asian-flavoured nibbles that will go down a treat.

The usual vegetarian fare tends to be either on bread or pastry, laden with cheese and cream, and often deep-fried, which can ruin your appetite for the main meal.

1 Chef slarder Chef Rachel Demuth shares inspiration from her cookery school for creating tasty and stylish Asian-flavoured nibbles that will go down a treat. Spicy Christmas canapés Festive canapés can be a little disheartening for vegetarians, and even more so for vegans and those on a gluten-free diet. The usual vegetarian fare tends to be either on bread or pastry, laden with cheese and cream, and often deep-fried, which can ruin your appetite for the main meal. A canapé should be an appetite enlivener, a little zingy spicy taste to accompany a drink. If you re entertaining for a wide variety of people during the holiday season, you ll probably be catering for a range of tastes too, from the strict vegan to the committed carnivore and everything in between. We feast with our eyes first, so it s important that the canapés look gorgeous and will happily tempt all your guests. Think about the colours of the ingredients and choose complementing coloured serving plates or trays to present the canapés on. If you re serving your canapés buffet-style, decorate the table with a pretty sari-style fabric as a table runner with coloured tea lights to set among the plates of food. Pomegranates are the ultimate edible Christmas decoration and make great natural table displays sprinkle them over your canapés, to add a little festive sparkle! Make sure your canapés are easy to pick up, that they are just a mouthful or two, so that they don t spill on your best frock or the toppings tumble on to the floor. To guarantee they hold together well, gram flour and rice flour are your vegan saviours, because they help to bind food instead of using egg. Our cookery school canapé recipes in this issue are all vegan and gluten-free. We ve added spices to make them tasty without having to resort to adding excess salt, sugar or fat. And the dishes can either be lightly fried or baked. When you re making a large quantity of canapés it s essential that the preparation is easy and stress-free, so all these recipes are simple to make, with inexpensive uncomplicated ingredients and techniques. The koftas and Thai tofu balls can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to three days, then just heated up to serve. Both recipes can be frozen too, although it s best to lightly cook them first, then freeze just make sure you thaw them completely before reheating. With the masala dosas, the batter, potato filling and chutneys can be made in advance, but the dosas are best made fresh on the day, then filled and sliced just before serving. l Demuths Vegetarian Cookery School is running festive cooking classes for vegans, so join them and enjoy a visit to beautiful Bath with its popular Christmas Market. For details, go to WIN A ONE-DAY COOKERY COURSE! Vegetarian Living readers can win a voucher worth 165 for a Demuths Vegetarian Cookery School one-day class. The courses are fun, relaxed and full of flavour. Led by Rachel Demuth, the teachers are experienced chefs, the kitchen is spacious and inviting, and the location is perfectly situated right in the centre of Bath. To enter, go to Competition closes 1 December ALL IMAGES ROB WICKS/EAT PICTURES ABOUT RACHEL Chef-proprietor of the awardwinning Demuths restaurant in Bath for 25 years, Rachel is now dedicated to running the Demuths Vegetarian Cookery School, which offers a range of themed workshops, guest chef events, cookery holidays in France and Italy, and the Demuths Vegetarian and Vegan Diplomas for professional chefs and keen cooks. As a well-travelled foodie, Rachel loves to combine her passion for global cuisine with the best of locally grown produce _VL77[Rach_Canapes]NTSJ.indd 28 18/10/ :52

Mini masala dosas A masala dosa is a South Indian pancake filled with spiced potatoes.

This is our quick version made canapé-style with the spiced potatoes rolled up with three different chutneys.

frying For the spicy potato filling: 250g potatoes, peeled 1 tbsp sunflower oil ½ large onion, finely chopped 5cm fresh ginger, finely chopped 1 green chilli, finely chopped 1 tbsp dhana jeeru

2 Mini masala dosas A masala dosa is a South Indian pancake filled with spiced potatoes. In India dosas are often made at the front of cafés for breakfast; the chefs have a knack of making them thin, crisp and huge, then deftly wrapping them around a filling. This is our quick version made canapé-style with the spiced potatoes rolled up with three different chutneys. Makes 32 canapés Prep 40 mins + resting Cook 40 mins For the pancakes: 115g gram flour 75g rice flour 2 tsp Indian spice mix spice or curry powder ¼ tsp salt 325ml cold water sunflower oil, for frying For the spicy potato filling: 250g potatoes, peeled 1 tbsp sunflower oil ½ large onion, finely chopped 5cm fresh ginger, finely chopped 1 green chilli, finely chopped 1 tbsp dhana jeeru (coriander and cumin powder) ¼ tsp turmeric 1 tsp amchoor (mango powder) lemon juice, to taste handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped MINI MASALA DOSAS Chutneys to fill: tomato chutney, coconut chutney, and green apple, coriander and mint chutney (see recipes, below) 1 Sieve the flours, curry powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the water to bake a runny batter the consistency of single cream and leave to stand for 1 hour or overnight, if possible. 2 To cook the dosas, whisk the batter well before you begin to ensure the mixture is smooth and well combined. Heat ½ teaspoon TOMATO CHUTNEY handful of cherry tomatoes a few sprigs of coriander ½ small red chilli, roughly chopped (seeds removed if too hot for your liking) squeeze of lemon pinch of sugar or squeeze of agave syrup (optional) Blend the tomatoes, coriander and chilli until nearly smooth. The chutney is nice with a bit of texture. Add the lemon juice and salt, adjusting as necessary. If it s a bit sharp, you can add a pinch of sugar. The chutney is best eaten on the day it s made, but will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. COCONUT CHUTNEY 50g desiccated coconut, soaked in hot water from a just-boiled kettle handful of mint handful of coriander ½ mild green chilli juice of ½ lime 1 tsp sunflower or coconut oil ½ tsp mustard seeds Drain the coconut and put into a blender with the herbs, chilli, salt and lime juice. Blend until smooth. Heat the oil and carefully toast the mustard seeds, until they turn a greyish colour and start to pop in the pan. Remove from the heat and stir into the coconut mix. Taste and adjust the salt and lime, if necessary. GREEN APPLE, CORIANDER AND MINT CHUTNEY 1 dessert apple, peeled and chopped handful of coriander handful of mint leaves 1 small green chilli squeeze of lemon or lime Blend all the ingredients together until smooth. This chutney will be a lovely bright green, as long as you add enough lemon or lime juice _VL77[Rach_Canapes]NTSJ.indd 29 18/10/ :53

When the base of the dosa is golden, carefully flip it over and cook briefly before removing to a large plate.

3 Chef slarder of sunflower oil in a medium non-stick frying pan, and pour in a small ladle of the batter, swirling it around the pan to coat evenly. Cook as you would a regular pancake crêpe, using a flexible spatula to run around the edges of the dosa, checking that it is turning a golden colour on the base. When the base of the dosa is golden, carefully flip it over and cook briefly before removing to a large plate. 3 Cook all the dosas with the remaining batter to make 8 pancakes, or keep any unused batter for up to 3 days in the fridge. 4 To make the filling, boil the potatoes whole, then dice into 1cm cubes. Heat the sunflower oil in a saucepan, add the onion and gently fry until golden. Stir in the ginger and chilli and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the dhana jeeru, turmeric, amchoor and salt. Gently stir in the potatoes, lemon juice and coriander. Season to taste. 5 Place a dosa on a chopping board. On the edge closest to you, place one-eighth of the potato filling in a neat row, about 2cm from the edges. Place a line of tomato chutney beside the potato, followed by the coconut chutney neatly along the line. On the furthest edge of the dosa, spread a tablespoon of the apple mint chutney. This will be the glue to seal the roll once you have rolled it all up. 6 Carefully but firmly roll the clean edge nearest to you over the potato, tomato and coconut filling, and gently but tightly roll all the way up. Trim both ends so that you have a neat roll then, with a very sharp knife, cut into 4 even slices. The neatest way to do this is to cut in half first, then slice each half in half again. Wipe the blade clean on kitchen towel in between each slice to ensure clean cuts. Serve the rolls cut-side up, like sushi. COOK S TIP It is very important to use a good non-stick frying pan for cooking the dosas, as the batter will stick in an uncoated pan. n PER CANAPÉ 62 cals, fat 3.5g, sat fat 1.2g, carbs 6.3g, sugars 1g, protein 1.5g, salt 0.2g, fibre 1.2g Spicy apricot koftas We ve given these koftas a Middle Eastern twist, spicy with sweet undertones and finished with tahini and pomegranate the little gem leaf boats make them easy to eat too. Makes 25 canapés Prep 45 mins + chilling Cook 15 mins sunflower, oil for frying 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped ½ tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp turmeric 400g can chickpeas, drained 2 3 tbsp gram flour 3 tbsp flaked or whole almonds, toasted then chopped 1 mild red chilli, finely chopped, or a pinch of dried chilli flakes 1 tbsp chopped parsley 1 tbsp chopped coriander _VL77[Rach_Canapes]NTSJ.indd 30 18/10/ :55

1 tsp orange flower water or zest of a clementine/small orange 100g soft dried apricots, finely chopped 1 tbsp sesame seeds 1 tbsp nigella/kalongi seeds salt For the gem lettuce boats and topping: 2

4 1 tsp orange flower water or zest of a clementine/small orange 100g soft dried apricots, finely chopped 1 tbsp sesame seeds 1 tbsp nigella/kalongi seeds salt For the gem lettuce boats and topping: 2 3 baby gem lettuces 1 medium carrot, grated juice of ½ orange a few mint leaves 1 tbsp runny tahini (thin with water if thick) 2 tsp pomegranate syrup/molasses seeds of ½ pomegranate SPICY APRICOT KOFTAS 1 Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Fry and soften the onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cumin seeds. Stir in the turmeric and remove from the heat. 2 Blitz the chickpeas until just broken down a little, then add the onion mix, 2 tablespoons of the gram flour, the almonds, chilli, herbs and orange flower water. Pulse a few times until the mixture comes together, but isn t too paste-like. Add in the apricots and pulse again to combine. Season to taste. 3 Make a test kofta first, to make sure the mix stays together and tastes flavoursome. Pinch off a tablespoon of the mix and form into a test patty. If the mix doesn t stick together, add a little more gram flour to the mixture. Fry the patty in a little oil, then when golden and crisp on both sides, taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. 4 To make the koftas, pinch off walnut-sized amounts of the mixture and roll into torpedo shapes. Place on a plate while you roll all the mixture, then roll each kofta in the sesame and nigella seeds. Chill for 30 minutes to firm up. 5 Fry the koftas in a little oil, rolling them gently around the pan to brown evenly. Alternatively, heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/ gas 6, place the koftas on to a lightly oiled parchment-lined baking tray, brush each with a little oil, and bake for about 15 minutes until golden. 6 Wash and dry the gem lettuce leaves well, separating them into similar sizes. Mix the grated carrot with the orange juice and chopped mint. Place a tablespoon of the carrot salad on to each lettuce leaf, then top with a kofta. Drizzle over a little tahini, then a little pomegranate syrup or molasses. Finally, sprinkle a few pomegranate seeds over each kofta and serve. COOK S TIP The koftas will keep chilled in the fridge covered in cling film for up to 3 days, until needed. n PER CANAPÉ 80 cals, fat 5.1g, sat fat 0.6g, carbs 6g, sugars 2.9g, protein 2.7g, salt 0.2g, fibre 2.1g _VL77[Rach_Canapes]NTSJ.indd /10/ :55

Thai tofu balls The idea for this recipe comes from traditional Thai fish balls, but made with tofu instead of fish.

Makes 25 canapés Prep 35 mins Cook 15 mins THAI TOFU BALLS 100g sweet potato, cooked 200g firm tofu sunflower oil, for frying 3 spring onions, chopped 2 lemongrass stalks, cut in half and thick part

1 lime 2 tbsp chopped coriander 6 tbsp rice flour salt For the peanut dipping sauce: 3 tbsp peanut butter 1 2 tsp tamari juice of ½ lime ½ tsp soft brown sugar, or 1 tsp apple juice concentrate or

5 Thai tofu balls The idea for this recipe comes from traditional Thai fish balls, but made with tofu instead of fish. With the rice flour as a binder they hold together beautifully and look unique with lemongrass stalks as skewers. We ve placed them on squares of banana leaf for that added Thai feel. Makes 25 canapés Prep 35 mins Cook 15 mins THAI TOFU BALLS 100g sweet potato, cooked 200g firm tofu sunflower oil, for frying 3 spring onions, chopped 2 lemongrass stalks, cut in half and thick part of the stalks chopped finely (save the remaining thin half for skewering the balls for serving) 2 tbsp red Thai curry paste 60g green beans, chopped small and blanched for 3 minutes zest and juice of 1 lime 2 tbsp chopped coriander 6 tbsp rice flour salt For the peanut dipping sauce: 3 tbsp peanut butter 1 2 tsp tamari juice of ½ lime ½ tsp soft brown sugar, or 1 tsp apple juice concentrate or agave syrup (optional) 1 tsp red chilli, finely minced, or a pinch of chilli flakes (optional) For serving: 3 lemongrass stalks 1 banana leaf, cut into squares just large enough to sit each ball on 1 Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/ gas 6. Oil a baking tray and line with parchment paper. 2 Blend the cooked sweet potato in a food processor until almost smooth. Add the tofu and blend again to combine well. 3 Heat a little oil and fry the spring onions, lemongrass and Thai curry paste for 2 minutes. Add to the tofu and sweet potato and pulse to combine. Transfer the mix to a bowl. 4 Add the blanched green beans, lime zest, coriander and rice flour, and mix well to combine. Taste and season with 1 tablespoon of lime juice and a little salt. 5 Make a test ball first. Heat a little sunflower oil in a frying pan, form a tablespoonful of the mixture into a ball, and cook until golden on both sides. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. 6 Lightly oil your hands to prevent the mixture sticking to them, roll the rest of the mixture into balls, then place on the prepared baking tray. The light covering of oil on your hands also helps them to crisp as they bake. Bake the balls for 15 minutes until golden, turning over halfway through cooking to brown on the other side. 7 To make the peanut dipping sauce, combine the peanut butter, tamari and 1 tablespoon of water in a bowl and mix well to a dipping consistency. Add enough lime juice to taste, and sweeten and add a little chilli for heat, if desired. 8 To serve, cut each lemongrass stalk in half widthways, then in half lengthways, and then finally each length in half again, so that you have 8 sticks per stalk. Use the two remaining halves from the recipe, and you should end up with 28 in total (you may find that some of the sticks will be too flimsy to use). Skewer each ball on a slight angle, and place on a square of banana leaf. Serve straight away with the dipping sauce. COOK S TIP You can chill the unbaked balls until needed. They will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Check your Thai curry paste is veggie/veganfriendly, as many contain fish sauce. n PER CANAPÉ 70 cals, fat 4.1g, sat fat 0.5g, carbs 6.5g, sugars 0.8g, protein 1.9g, salt 0.5g, fibre 0.6g _VL77[Rach_Canapes]NTSJ.indd 32 18/10/ :58

6 Chef slarder _VL77[Rach_Canapes]NTSJ.indd /10/ :55

A hug in a bowl HOMEMADE STOCK

A hug in a bowl HOMEMADE STOCK A hug in a bowl Nothing beats a warming bowl of soup on a winter s day, and when paired with tasty toppings and hearty sides you can make a real meal of these dishes, says chef Rachel Demuth. ALL IMAGES