This is a stew that will have you warmed all winter.
I made this stew with so-called “Wonky” veg. (What the supermarkets believe customers won’t buy because they aren’t as pretty and uniform as they usually stock. They tend to be cheaper than perfect looking veg is. So that’s why this makes a perfect budget meal.)
Wonky Winter Wonder
by October-5-2018
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- ½ turnip, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes
- ½ butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes
- 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes
- 1 potato, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into cubes
- 1 courgette, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 good quality veggie stock cubes
- 1 tsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
- 1 tsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 4 tsp cornstarch (cornflour) and a little water
- ¼ tsp liquid smoke
- 1 drop hot sauce
- handful of spinach
Directions
- Prepare all the veg first.
- Put the oil into a large pan on the heat. Add the onion and leek, and cook slowly, for about 5 mins (until soft). Add in the garlic and cook 1 more minute.
- Add the garam masala to the onions and stir to cover. Then add all the veg. Place the stock cubes in a small bowl and add enough boiling water to melt them. Add the molasses and soy sauce, then add the liquid to the pan. Top up with hot water to just cover the veg.
- Bring to the boil, then turn down to a slow simmer. Cook with a lid on the pan for 40 mins.
- Stir in the cornstarch/water slurry, liquid smoke, and the spinach. Serve hot with crunchy bread.
NB: Replace the turnip with pumpkin for a Halloween stew (take 1/2 the stew and blend it, then add back to the pan before adding the spinach). Or, for a variation, throw in some pieces of vegetarian sausage and add a few dumpling before the end of cooking.
Bad Vegan 