Momos

Mo has just returned from from Oz where she was celebrating a very special birthday.  As well as bringing back the sun (thank you!) she also discovered these little parcels at the famous Eumondi Market in Noosa, Queensland -  a Tibetan version of dim sum filled with vegetables and tofu. (But she doesn't think they understood her scouse sense of humour when she asked if she could have them cheaper because her name is Mo!)

Ingredients

for the dough

60g plain white flour

60g strong white flour

pinch of salt

water

for the filling

1 small onion, finely chopped

5cm ginger, peeled and grated

1 clove garlic, crushed

½ bunch coriander, finely chopped

250g cabbage, shredded

250g smoked tofu, crumbled

140g  chestnut mushrooms, chopped and sauteed

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp stock powder

Makes about 14 balls

It's a really easy dough - just mix the flours and salt together and add enough water to make a soft dough. Knead for a few minutes, then cover and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile mix all the fillng ingredients together in a large bowl.

The roll out the dough out quite thinly and cut out circles approximately 8-9cm wide, then place a tablespoon of the filling in the centre of the circle and using a folding action join the dough together to form a ball. (Don't be too generous otherwise the filling will burst out!)

You can then deep fry (preferably in groundnut oil) until golden or for the healthy option steam for 10 minutes. They taste aste best served warm with a chilli tomato based dipping sauce.

A Room in Leith

It is very rare that I come across a restaurant where I am seriously surprised and impressed by the imagination of the chef when it comes to the vegetarian option. On a recent trip to Edinburgh I had such a moment. Although most Scots are unlikely to embrace a non meat meal, this city does have a sophistication and excitement in its culinary offerings that is rarely seen outside London (except in small pockets!)

A Room in Leith is part of a chain of three restaurants based across Edinburgh and part of its allure is that although it doesn't have a huge selection of dishes, it is possible to satisfy all tastes - which given our family is quite a challenge.

The menu reads beautifully - but this does not always translate into a plate of delicious food, so I was a wee bit sceptical. Sadly, I have no picture of the Mull of Kintyre cheddar, aubergine and chilli tart with tomato and tarragon dressing, but below is the Baked Portobello mushroom with herb crusted goats cheese, haricot bean and rocket fricasse. It was divine and I am working hard on recreating the recipe.

ps. prices are extremely reasonable at £15.95 for three courses

Orange Baklava

It’s not really difficult making vegetarian puddings, but vegan ones can be a bit more tricky. Since I have a seriously sweet tooth I tend to avoid making desserts – it’s just too tempting having them staring at me.

But as an experiment for part of our World Tapas course on the Wirral I had a play with a simple baklava. The filling is dead easy, but the filo (as always) takes a little bit of patience (which is a test for me!). It was also an excuse to use one of our favourite ingredients – pomegranate molasses. Sometimes I think it’s even better with nuts and fruit (try strawberries!) than vegetables.

It is also really important to find super fresh nuts. Better from a good independent health food store than a supermarket… and do remember to keep the rest in the freezer to stop the polyunsaturated oils becoming rancid. Stale nuts taste pretty awful and they’re not too good for your health either!

Pistachio and Orange Baklava

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Ingredients

1 packet filo pastry (minimum 270g)

60g hard margarine (Tomor has an ok flavour)

Filling

100g pistachio nuts

125g walnuts

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Syrup

100g caster sugar

1 orange, zest and juice

2 tsp pomegranate molasses

Makes 10-12 smallish pieces

First of all making the filling by pulsing the nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a processor until pretty well crushed, but not superfine (depending on how much crunch you want).

Line a small baking tin (18cm x 18cm is good) with baking parchment (don’t ever bother with greaseproof paper – it’s too thin and porous). Cut the filo pastry to the same size as the tin. Ideally you will have at least 12 sheets.

Then melt the margarine. Place one sheet of filo on the lined base and brush with margarine. Top with 5 more sheets, brushing each sheet well with margarine. Then spread half the filling on top. Cover with 6 more sheets of filo, again brushing with margarine as you layer.

Score and cut the baklava into diamond shapes in the tin (if you try and cut the pastry when cold it will just shatter). Then bake at 180C/Gas 4 for 30 minutes until golden. Let stand for 5 or 10 minutes.

To make the syrup, place the juice of the orange and the sugar in a saucepan over a low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved, then add the molasses. Simmer for a few minutes and let cool slightly before pouring over the baklava – it should sink in pretty quickly! (Use orange zest for garnish).