Posts tagged cabbage

Nori hummus and raw slaw Wraps

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Nori hummus and raw slaw Wraps

R

aw food (i.e. food that has not been cooked, treated or processed in any way above 115°F) seems to be all the craze at the moment with the idea that above this selected temperature food starts to loose essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. However, with a background in physiological science and a keen interest in nutrition I am fully aware of the nutrients that our bodies need and so for me (although a keen health freak and yogi)  it is hard to see the true benefits of a 100% raw diet. Saying that, dabbling in the craze can only leave you happy, full, and downright smug and righteous.

So last weekend in the hot and sunny weather and with the influence of Wimbledon’s top athletes competing as we ate, I took my sceptical mother to Nama, Notting hill an artisan raw food ‘oasis’ for lunch. And I was hugely pleased and excited by it! Albeit we chose well, I would not have been left as happy had I chosen the raw ‘pizza’ (courgette and walnut cracker base topped with vegetables). However, a hearty salad and a falafel raw ‘wrap’ left us nourished and smiling as we washed it down with pear, cucumber, cinnamon, maple and apple juice and matcha lattes.

So home again and inspired I headed to the kitchen to use some of Nama’s influence in my mid week dinner. Influence is the word here. This is not technically ‘raw’ but its a damn good compromise.

Makes about 4 (with leftovers)

  • 1 small red cabbage
  • 1 yellow courgette
  • 1 green courgette
  • Large bunch mint, coriander and parsley
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds (lightly toasted)
  • 1-2 limes
  • 1 x hummus recipe
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 x packet roasted seaweed sheets (Nori sheets)

Spiced herby Hummus

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 bunch coriander and in addition, either mint, parsley, basil
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 red chilli, roughly chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tbsp yoghurt
  • Salt and pepper
  • Splash of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ heaped tsp of the following mix of ground spices (For the ground mix, toast 1tbsp of each fennel, cumin, coriander , black mustard and  fenugreek seed with 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamon pods and 1 star anise in a dry frying pan until hot, fragrant and beginning to pop. Remove and grind in a pestle and mortar until fine).
  1. Start with the vegetable ‘slaw’. In a processor, shred the cabbage and courgettes until fine and mix well. Finely chop the herbs and add these with some seasoning. Add the sesame seeds and lime juice and set aside.
  2. Make the hummus. Place all ingredients in the bowl of a processor (expect the oil) and pulse to a coarse paste. You may need to wipe the sides down as you go. Add a splash of oil to loosen if you like.
  3. Cut your avocados in halve and then slice each halve into chunky chip shaped sliced.
  4. Now assemble! Spread a layer of hummus in the middle of a sheet of Nori. Top with the slices of avocado and then with a layer of slaw.
  5. Fold the short ends in and then roll (with the long end facing you) the nori seaweed wrapper over the filling tightly and press together.
  6. Slice in halve on the diagonal and enjoy!

Jess - Nori Humuus Roll#2

Kohlrabi, Apple and Celeriac Winter Coleslaw with Falafel

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Kohlrabi, Apple and Celeriac Winter Coleslaw with Falafel

What the hell do you do with a kohlrabi you ask….What does it taste like…..? Its a lovely refreshing root vegetable with a similar taste to celery and mild celeriac. Shaved raw it went really nicely with some apple, celeriac and crumbled toasted walnuts, tossed with a tangy creamy yoghurt dressing for a winter coleslaw. I served my cool coleslaw stuffed generously into the floury arms of a warm pitta bread, some comforting Moroccan spiced falafel, a squeeze of lime and a scatter of coriander…..

Coleslaw

  • 1 kohlrabi, peeled
  • ½ celeriac, peeled
  • 1 Cox apple
  • Handful of toasted, crushed walnuts
  • 120g plain natural yoghurt
  • 1 heaped tbsp mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper
  • Flat leaf parsley, chopped
  1. I used the blade attachment on my Magimix to get the shaved sticks from the kohlrabi and celeriac (However, you could grate them or slice on a mandolin but the processor makes it a lot easier) I recommend slicing the apple into matchstick by hand as they are quite juicy when put into the processor.
  2. Combine the shredded kohlrabi and celeriac in a large bowl in roughly similar amounts. Add the apple.
  3. Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan, then crush and add to the vegetables.
  4. Toast the fennel seeds similarly and crush in a pestle and mortar.
  5. To make the dressing, mix the yoghurt, mayo, fennel seeds, chopped parsely and season to taste. Add enough lemon juice to taste to give it a nice punchy flavour.
  6. Toss the dressing with the vegetables. Add as much as you like for the desired texture.

Falafel (makes about 14)

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 bunch coriander and in addition, either mint, parsley, basil or whatever is in season or takes your fancy
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tbsp yoghurt
  • Salt and pepper
  • Splash of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ heaped tsp of the following mix of ground Spice Mix (toast 1tsp of each fennel, cumin, coriander and fenugreek seed with 1 cinnamon stick, 3 cardamon pods and 1 star anise in a dry frying pan until hot, fragrant and beginning to pop, remove and grind in a pestle and mortar until fine).
  • Approx 50g fine white breadcrumb
  1. Place all the ingredients except the oil into a food processor and pulse until well combined, scrapping the mixture down from the sides every now and then.
  2. Add a splash of oil to loosen but do not allow the mixture to become too loose (This is my hummus recipe too, so if you want hummus and not falafel, simply add more oil to get a spoonable texture)
  3. Now place the mixture into a bowl and mix in enough breadcrumbs until the mixture is stiffer. It should be stiff enough to roll into about 14 golf ball sized falafel. If it is too wet, add some more breadcrumbs.image
  4. Now roll into about 14 falafel balls and fry in hot oil until crisp on the outside and fluffy in the middle.

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