Let us know how it turns out. There are many ingredients I don’t have (fresh ginger, kale) and am not going out to get or have delivered. Luckily my 25 pound of lentils should be good for years. This looks great for the fall.
I am jealous, just one measly pound here, maybe 6 -7 pounds of pinto beans though! I am going to get a tortilla press and start making those to go with my beans:)
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My friend in New Zealand is mostly vegan though she did let slip that she will consume dairy. (She had to explain all those ice cream containers somehow.) So I ate all vegan for 2.5 weeks. Honestly it was mostly terrible but that has to do with their current budget constraints, not anything inherently vegan. So I’d already vowed pre-CV that I was going to be more mindful in my reduction of meat consumption and ordered the lentils straight away.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005Z4S2KG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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The food in New Zealand sucks in general IMO, too much fish and chips fries food… I guess the meats would be good if not cooked in their restaurants and you eat meat… Eating out the month I was there was a disappointment.
I really enjoyed the food and the coffee… they really “get” coffee. And cheeses. sigh…
I only ate out once when I went by myself to the Queen concert. We also had Domino’s vegan pizzas delivered one night. They were some of the best stuff I had. Mona cooked and it was very basic and very much Chinese style food. Lots of tofu, soy sauce, rice malt vinegar, lentils, lotus root, stuff I don’t know. Nothing fried at all. The best stuff was when I made guacamole. LOL.
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i do a similar spin on this, my version of the following. i use a ground axis deer/pork combination or ground bison for the protein, and tweak the vegetables based on what’s on hand. i add chinese 5 spice and leave out the ginger root.
you can make hummus from lentils, if you like hummus.
i like traditional Greek lentil soup which is so simple. i prefer both of those things finished with lemon juice.
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I now buy imported NZ cheeses, thankfully Trader Joe’s carries them:)
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Ok its bread again, but I did walk 6.2 miles today…
It did not turn out right I made a mistake and thought I was supposed to let it rise twice in the bowl and once in the pan. One rise too many it did not get to the top of the pan.
Here is the recipe, passed down… Oh ok, copied from the internet I think from Martha Stewart, as you can see no instructions …
So its supposed to be flat/squared off on all sides, I expect it will work well regardless, it sure smells good.
RR
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Definitely worth trying! I’d say the only thing that would make it better is in lieu of TJ’s sourdough loaf of bread, using freshly baked bread from @RiverRock 
FYI: Baby Kale from Trader Joe’s, as well as their frozen ginger (comes in little cubes and gets stored in Freezer.
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Too bad TJ’s does not have a way to order online and pick up.
Mmmmm.
I made a very nice eggplant curry the other night. The recipe is google-able.
But here’s something: I have been making waffles for my guests’ breakfasts for eight years. Since March 13 I have not made one waffle. Not one. Liking that a lot.
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I like to cook in cast iron, and the coated ones like Le Creuset are great, but they are HEAVY. I have two 4" cast iron pans I use to prepare individual servings of Shakshuka for one of our Guest breakfasts. Makes a great presentation.
I used Calphalon non-stick pans when I started as a Personal Chef. Their coatings are extra tough.
These days I use Saladmaster pots & pans which my lovely partner purchased – expensive, but really worth it.
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Hope the recipes you’ve used of mine have worked out well!
I’ve been making bread – Scottish Oatbread (Like Irish Soda Bread but with half AP flour and half ground oatmeal). Yesterday I made Fast Bread with Kalamata Olives – only 1 rise and only 10-15 minutes of kneading!
That’s what I am replacing
But no heavier than a standard cast iron right? I have an assortment of cast iron and I like it, I just need to replace my 12" skillet that i use all the time.
Thanks
RR
Cast iron is the original non-stick cookware when properly seasoned and cared for.
Better yet, get a set. I acquired mine over time, and I’m still looking. I have the following cast iron skillets:
4 inch, for roasting spices, sesame seeds, and even green coffee beans;
8 inch, perfect for 2 eggs or a grilled sandwich;
12 inch, for a breakfast fry-up;
16 inch, for one pan dinners and multiple portions.
I’ve been looking for a 24 incher, like the ones that folks used to bring to potluck picnics when I was a kid. Our school end picnics were at a river where spring smelt were running, so we took dipnets and big skillets. Lots of little fish, right from the river into the hot pan, so fat that we never had to add oil to fry potatoes.
Last time I was at a gourmet picnic I made certain that a friend brought his 24 inch so I could use it to fry bacon and potatoes and make a German potato salad with dill pickle & bacon vinaigrette. I’ve gotten more eclectic since, and if I did it today it would probably include kimchee for some extra zip.
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That depends on how much gas you need to generate! 
Sounds like a dal life.
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I love lamb, so Godzone was a great place to visit. Their good fish and excellent local wines also made the usually simple meals quite nice, and prices were very reasonable when I visited in 1980.
Aw don’t mention lamb. The Spanish eat a lot of lamb, but the here in the south they like’em young, milk fed with barely any fat. Nice, but not the same as Scottish, Welsh or New Zealand grass fed lamb that’s had time to put a bit of muscle and fat on before they’re slaughtered.
We can sometimes get Galician lamb, which is grass fed but it doesn’t half come at a price! Our only source of decent lamb is the U.K. supermarket Morrisons in Gibraltar, also good for smoked back bacon and Cumberland sausages!
We had a Thai green curry last night with homemade flat breads; the flat breads are sort of generic unleavened breads, similar to the type eaten in most middle eastern countries and very quick to make.
300g plain flour
50g butter
180g milk (full fat if poss, but any will do really)
half to three quarter teaspoon of salt.
Put milk and butter in microwave for 60secs or so till butter melted, let cool for ten mins till lukewarm.
Add to flour and salt and mix to a soft dough.
Turn on to work surface and give it a quick knead to bring it all together.
Wrap in clingfilm and leave in fridge for 30mins.
Divide into four and roll out as thin as you want, be guided by the size of your frying pan.
Heat a touch of oil (I use olive but any will do) in a 12" frying pan, give them a couple of mins each side until blistered. Some bits will blacken, that’s normal. Wrap them in a tea towel as they come out of the pan, then enjoy!
JF
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