One-Dish Meals For New Veggies

A slice of curried vegetable pie is the perfect comfort food on a rainy Sunday.
Photo: SG

Today's post was inspired by an episode of Jamie's Food Revolution, a TLC programme that chronicles renowned UK chef Jamie Oliver's journey to different parts of America, helping people cook and eat healthy. This morning's episode saw Oliver go head to head with a stubborn radio deejay intent on thwarting Oliver's mission in the latter's West Virginia town. Oliver made a bet with the deejay that he would get 1000 people to participate in his cook-a-thon and not only did he achieve that, the same deejay happened to be the 1000th person!

Of course it helped that Oliver got the townsfolk to cook a one-dish-meal: stir-fried noodles with plenty of vegetables, which is far less off-putting than a five-course dinner. In fact, it was this dish that got me thinking: many people harbour a secret desire to go vegetarian or vegan, but they are 'forced' out of it by naysayers who tell them how inconvenient a new diet would be.
And with the million things that have to be done at work and the home, who has time to study new recipes? It's far easier to tapau (take away) dinner from the nearest restaurant or eat what's on the table (if you're lucky enough to have someone cook for you). And so the dream dies. 

The root of this is simply trying to do too much. Yes, being vegetarian means you'll need to change your diet and cooking, but it gets a whole lot easier by making a one-dish meal that takes less time to prepare and clean up after. Above all, the meal needs to be nutritious. Here are some of my favourite dishes: 




Curried Vegetable Pie  (see below)
Falafel Burgers 
Kerala Style Vegetable Fried Rice
Dhall Rice
Curried Couscous Pilaf
Savoury Bread Pudding Casserole
Summer Vegetable Crepes
Murtabak
Spaghetti With Sundried Tomato Sauce and Mushroom 'Meatballs'
Olive Lentil Burgers

PS: I used a different pie crust recipe for a heartier pie, here it is: 


Vegan Pie Crust (from The Veggie Table)


Yield: 1 pie crust
Time: 10 minutes
Tools:

• bowls
• large fork
• rolling pin
• pie plate

Ingredients:

• 1½ c cold flour
• ½ c cold canola oil
• 2-4 T cold nut milk or water

Directions:

1. Place the flour in the bowl and drizzle in the canola oil (it will be very thick), while gently stirring with the fork, until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Stir in nut milk or water, 1 T at a time, just until the dough holds together.
3. Roll into a ball, then roll out into a circle, about 12 inches in diameter and 1/8-inch thick.
4. Place in pie plate and use right away.

Notes: All of the ingredients need to be very cold in order for the crust to turn out correctly. The flour and nut milk or water can go in the fridge, while the canola oil should be placed in the freezer for at 30 minutes to an hour before use.