Lent has officially begun, and if you observe this season of fasting (for religious or other reasons) you are likely well aware of the culinary sacrifices you have made to mark the days between Ash Wednesday and Easter.
During the Lent period, devout Christians commit to the Lent sacrifice by giving up luxuries so as to replicate Jesus Christ’s journey into the desert that lasted 40 days. One tends to give up consuming meat and instead lay emphasis on simpler eating and living styles during this holy period.
Though there are ample vegetarian dishes that are consumed during this time, we present some of the popular ones for you to try.
Vegan Thai noodle soup
Ingredients
16g ginger
2-3 garlic cloves
2 Thai red chillies
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp curry powder
Zest of 1 lemon
½ tsp turmeric
2 tbs Thai red curry paste (store-bought)
2 tsp soy sauce or tamari sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1 can coconut milk
1 litre vegetable broth
Cubed firm tofu
Vegetables of your choice – diced
2 tsp sugar
1tsp salt
2 tsp oil
1 packet rice noodles
Method
Add oil to a pan and fry chopped onions till translucent.
Make a paste of ginger, garlic, curry powder, coriander powder, turmeric, red chillies and lemon zest. Add this paste to onions and sauté.
Add red curry paste and sauté.
Add coconut milk and boil it to a simmer.
Add vegetable broth, soy sauce, lime juice, salt and sugar, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Boil rice noodles as per package instructions.
Stir in the vegetables, tofu cubes, and simmer for another 2 minutes.
Serve with noodles at the bottom of the bowl and add the soup.
Finish off with crushed roasted peanuts, bean sprouts, spring onion, and a lime wedge.
Recipe by Vegan Lass.
Jamie Oliver’s fish pie
Ingredients
5 large potatoes
2 large free-range eggs
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
1 onion
1 carrot
Olive oil
250ml double cream
Mature Cheddar or Parmesan cheese
1 lemon
1 heaped teaspoon English mustard
1 large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley
450g haddock, or cod fillet, skin off, pin-boned, from sustainable sources
1 whole nutmeg , for grating (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 230°C.
Peel and dice the potatoes into 2.5cm chunks, then put into boiling salted water and bring back to the boil for 2 minutes.
Carefully add the eggs to the pan and cook for a further 8 minutes, or until hard-boiled, by which time the potatoes should also be cooked.
At the same time, steam the spinach in a colander above the pan. This will only take a minute. When the spinach is done, remove from the colander and gently squeeze out any excess moisture.
Drain the potatoes in the colander. Remove the eggs, cool under cold water, then peel and quarter them. Place to one side.
Peel and finely chop the onion, then peel, halve and finely chop the carrot.
In a separate pan, slowly fry the onion and carrot in a little oil for about 5 minutes, then add the double cream and bring just to the boil.
Remove from the heat and finely grate in two good handfuls of cheese, then squeeze in the lemon juice and stir through the mustard.
Pick and finely chop the parsley and stir into the cream mixture.
Slice the fish into strips then place in an earthenware dish with the spinach and eggs and mix together, pouring over the creamy vegetable sauce.
The cooked potatoes should be drained and mashed – add a bit of oil, sea salt, black pepper and a touch of nutmeg (if using). Spread on top of the fish. Don’t bother piping it to make it look pretty – it’s a homely hearty thing.
Place in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden.
Serve with some nice peas or greens, not forgetting your baked beans and tomato sauce.
Brown lentils
Meat is one of the many foods that people choose to give up in this period and lentils are known for being a great replacement for meat, because of their nutritional value.
Here's how to prepare them:
Serve with a source of vitamin C such as spinach, broccoli, or watercress to increase the amount of iron you absorb. A 100g cooked portion provides 2.4mg iron – the same as 90g of cooked lean minced beef.
Replace 20% of the red meat in a cottage pie or chilli with lentils. This can cut 2g saturated fat (10% of your recommended maximum) a portion while adding more fibre than in an apple.
Try lentils sprinkled with 30g grated cheese as a tasty topping for a baked potato – the lentils lower the glycaemic index of the potato so it does not raise your blood sugar as swiftly, keeping you full for longer. The cheese adds calcium and flavour.
Add a big handful to tomato or vegetable soup to create a heartier meal. Three tablespoons count as an extra veg portion.
For a real protein punch at breakfast, fold cooked lentils into an omelette. Protein can help to curb your appetite all morning.