This is not a specific recipe so much as something which I cook repeatedly, in varying combinations and quantities, throughout the whole winter. It's extremely flexible and can be made in large batches, to suit personal preferences.
Ingredients: Some form of allium — onion, leek, or shallot chopped finely Garlic — as much as you want to suit your tastes (I tend to use about four cloves in a meal for two people, but it's up to you) — chopped/crushed finely Whatever spices you like — dried or fresh chili, paprika, cumin, ras al hanout — in whatever amount you like Some form of dried or tinned legumes in whatever quantity you like (I use one 400g tin to serve two people) — this could be butter beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas, lentils, split peas, whatever you prefer Whatever vegetables you like (e.g. carrots, zucchini, capsicum, spinach, kale, chard, corn kernel) in whatever quantities you like, chopped into small pieces or shredded Tinned tomatoes Oil
Use a heavy bottomed saucepan or frypan (something that can be covered and used for both frying and stewing), and heat the oil. When it's hot, add the onions/leek/shallots and fry until they're soft, then add the garlic, and fresh chili (if using) and fry for a minute. Then add any heavy chopped vegetables (i.e. any that aren't leafy greens) and fry for a couple of minutes. After that add the legumes and toss in the pan until all contents are mixed together. Add your spices (if using), and mix the ingredients in the pan well so the spices are distributed everywhere. Add the tin of tomatoes and mix with the other ingredients. Then add enough water, bring to the boil, and simmer until the legumes are cooked and most of the water has been absorbed. How long this takes will depend on if you're using tinned or dried legumes — I tend to have to test things to see if they're cooked, and add more water if necessary. Once everything is cooked, add the torn leafy greens (if using) and wilt in the cooked stew, stirring so that everything is mixed together.
If you make this in large batches, you can store leftovers in the fridge for a few days, or even freeze it and reheat it later — it's an incredibly forgiving and flexible recipe. You can serve it with whatever garnishes or sauces you like.
Re: Vegetarian Dishes
Ingredients:
Some form of allium — onion, leek, or shallot chopped finely
Garlic — as much as you want to suit your tastes (I tend to use about four cloves in a meal for two people, but it's up to you) — chopped/crushed finely
Whatever spices you like — dried or fresh chili, paprika, cumin, ras al hanout — in whatever amount you like
Some form of dried or tinned legumes in whatever quantity you like (I use one 400g tin to serve two people) — this could be butter beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas, lentils, split peas, whatever you prefer
Whatever vegetables you like (e.g. carrots, zucchini, capsicum, spinach, kale, chard, corn kernel) in whatever quantities you like, chopped into small pieces or shredded
Tinned tomatoes
Oil
Use a heavy bottomed saucepan or frypan (something that can be covered and used for both frying and stewing), and heat the oil. When it's hot, add the onions/leek/shallots and fry until they're soft, then add the garlic, and fresh chili (if using) and fry for a minute.
Then add any heavy chopped vegetables (i.e. any that aren't leafy greens) and fry for a couple of minutes. After that add the legumes and toss in the pan until all contents are mixed together. Add your spices (if using), and mix the ingredients in the pan well so the spices are distributed everywhere. Add the tin of tomatoes and mix with the other ingredients. Then add enough water, bring to the boil, and simmer until the legumes are cooked and most of the water has been absorbed. How long this takes will depend on if you're using tinned or dried legumes — I tend to have to test things to see if they're cooked, and add more water if necessary. Once everything is cooked, add the torn leafy greens (if using) and wilt in the cooked stew, stirring so that everything is mixed together.
If you make this in large batches, you can store leftovers in the fridge for a few days, or even freeze it and reheat it later — it's an incredibly forgiving and flexible recipe. You can serve it with whatever garnishes or sauces you like.