Poached pasties - Siberian Pelmeni (Vegan, Lent version)

пельме́ни - Pelmeni


 4 portions
To make the dough:

2-1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup hot water
pinch of salt

Sift flour on to a board and make a hollow in the centre, add water and salt and knead into a heavy dough. Set aside for half an hour. Roll the dough thin and then cut into circles 5-6 cm  across (diameter).

Add filling, walnut sized on one half of the round and fold to make a half moon shape. Pinch the edges and bring the 2 points together to make a little purse.
You can freeze them at this stage.

Filling:
1 1/2 cups boiled rice
1/3 cup dried Mushrooms soaked and chopped finely (if using fresh use a larger quantity ).
1/2 cup onion chopped finely
vegan margarine 

Saute the mushrooms and onion.  Remove from heat and mix with the rice.
Allow to cool before using as the filling.

Of course you can be experimental with your fillings.

To cook.

Add pelmeni to boiling salted water and continue to boil until the pelmeni rise and cook for a couple of minutes more.

Serve with caramelised onions
+++++++++++++++++

All of this can be made in bulk ahead. 
The best recipe and methodology I have found is here
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Caramelized-Onions



More on Pelmeni here   

http://russiapedia.rt.com/of-russian-origin/pelmeni/

Coffee with Sister Vassa Ep.24 (Week 5 of Lent / Reading Scripture)

Aubergine (Eggplant) with walnut sauce #vegan #lent

photo:Lawrencekhoo

This is an adapted Georgian recipe


8 small eggplants
1 cup shelled walnuts
50g vegan margarine
Chili Pepper
Garlic
Pomegranate juice
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash but  do not peel the aubergines. Cut lengthwise into slice 1 - 1/2 cm thick. sprinkle with salt and fry in margarine. Brown on both sides. Crush the  walnuts and mix with garlic. Add the rest of the ingrdients to taste. Combine thoroughly and stir in  2 cups of chilled  boiled water. Arrange aubergines in a platter and pour over walnut sauce.

  

Taken from Russian Cooking 1974

Sunny Lenten Pie to share with many people :)

  
I found this pie on the internet and as I am always looking for bring and share recipes this looked perfect.
It is also really pretty and simple to do. I adapted the recipe for Lent although I will put a link to the original at the end of the article.

Pastry:
Jusroll is vegan and can be bought if you don't like making your own pastry. I made mine with wholemeal because it is very forgiving.
The recipe for wholemeal shortcrust pastry is 2 x wholemeal flour to 1x fat ( butter, vegan maragarine etc.) The filling can be varied according to  season or what you have available.

Ingredients:
8oz (225g) wholemeal flour
4oz (100g) vegan margarine
cold water to mix

Method:
Rub margarine into flour until it looks like breadcrumbs.
Add water until a soft wet dough appears and knead.
Roll out using lots of  flour.
(you can freeze the pastry)

Lentil and Pepper Filling:
Ingredients: 
12oz red lentils washed
vegetable stock cube
1 onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
knob of margarine
1 red and  1 green pepper finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 teaspoon  yeast extract
(Herbs or spices to taste)
Sunflower seeds (can use any) for decorating the top of the pie

Method:
Boil lentils with the stock cube for 20 minutes until lentils are soft. Try to not use too much water as you need the lentils to be  the bulk of the pie.
Fry onion and garlic in margarine until soft then add peppers, tomato puree, yeast extract, herbs and spices. cook a little more and mix thoroughly.
Allow to cool for a while.

To build the pie.
The size of your pie will depend upon the size of your baking tray and oven.
I used a large plate to help make the circle.
Put the mixture in like this.



Then cover it with a larger second circle of pastry.
 
Fork around the edges to make them look neat (if you want or if you don't want to waste any of the pastry you can make the edges uneven but still fork them together to seal the pie).
 
Cut the dough into pieces approximately 2 cm thick, keeping it attached at the centre.
  
Then slightly twist each piece carefully. I used a  palette knife to help.
 

 Sprinkle on the seeds at this point. I baked  the pie  for about 30 minutes Gas6 / 200C/ 400F. The final Lentil and pepper filling makes the  pie redder than this image and the wholemeal pastry makes  the sun look a little darker.


Each guest took a ray of the sun. Happy eating and Sharing. 
http://www.bestyummyrecipes.com/sunny-spinach-pie/

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Ingredients

1 banana, sliced (save 1-2 slices for garnish)

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon unsweetened almond butter

1 tablespoon chocolate sauce which can be made my melting together your following ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp almond butter

1 tsp honey

optional: 2 tbsp granola

Directions

Melt ingredients for chocolate sauce over a double boiler and leave on stove to stay liquid.

Combine the rest of ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Optional: Put 2 tbsp of granola into bottom of glass.

Top with smoothie

Top with chocolate sauce

Garnish with a banana slice 

 

http://www.bestyummyrecipes.com/chocolate-banana-smoothie/

Coffee with Sister Vassa Ep.19 (Cheesefare Week)