Vegetarian & Vegan food

yCan anyone well me that've legitimately used Sumak in a dish? No?

Sumac? the spice stuff? Yep. Don't mind buying spices and things, they last for ages.
But I agree on Ottlenghi's recipes contains some ridiculous crap sometimes.

http://www.v-delicious.co.uk/go/reminder-7highlightsgt%20talera

Free entry to the veggie good food show 7 -9th June

I use sumac. I bought some syrian spice mixes which contain thyme & sesame seeds amongst other things. You are supposed to sprinkle them on roasted meat etc.

For vegetarian food, I would only consider using it on some heavy stodgy dishes.

Sumac is decent. I know a few Kurdish people and have eaten with them in Kurdish restaurants or their homes and they always bring the sumac out. Love the astringency to it.

I'm looking for somewhere that does veggie food near(ish) Liverpool St that is nice but not too pricey - and will have tables.

Any tips?

I'm really in the mood for a nice hearty stew. My GF is a veggie so that pretty much rules out every stew I can think of.

Does anyone have any good ones?

Cheers.

I've made good chilies with quorn mince. It's hard to get the depth of flavour you get from meat, but if you start off with onions, garlic, chili, herbs, red wine then add tomatoes etc and get a good tomato sauce base, then work in mushrooms and the mince and let it simmer for an hour or two

My GF doesn't really like fake meat (except quorn in fajitas/similar).

I was sort of after something a bit more beef stew or ham and slip peas. I'm having a search for Italian peasant dishes as that seems like a good route.

A Ribollita should do.
(page 151)
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PbrLm-eMGxUC&pg=PA405&lpg=PA405&dq=ribollita+kale+river+cottage&source=bl&ots=HLPy430FRL&sig=R1RRbUeVfxS5HfO7TDw6T3G-jO4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=0lBuUviEIuXP0QXSqoD4CQ&ved=0CE0Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=ribollita%20kale%20river%20cottage&f=false

Cheers.

I bought her that book as well :)

Just made a spicy winter stew up (ish).
So get your cooking fat of choice (personally I quite like butter)
If using butter- let it brown up nicely, then add some thin sliced onions. Lower heat, cook till soft and browning.
Raise heat. Chuck in some thin slice aubergines, and fry these up till going golden and gorgeous. Drain, rinse dry some chickpeas and in they start popping. Lower the heat again, add in a tin of beans (butter for me), a tin of pureed pumpkin (Aldi).
3 teaspoons of chipotle paste (Home Bargains/Asda), 1/2-1 tsp Allspice, 1/2-1 cinnamon, 1 of cumin, 1/2-1 of cayenne, 1 of oregano. Add water to make liquid. Simmer for as long as you want.
Eat.

My GF doesn't really like fake meat (except quorn in fajitas/similar).

I was sort of after something a bit more beef stew or ham and slip peas. I'm having a search for Italian peasant dishes as that seems like a good route.

have you tried making seitan? probably already been discussed further back in this or the other vegan thread on here but it's (imo) the best fake meat and coincidentally much cheaper than shop-bought things. i'd recommend this recipe --> http://www.theppk.com/2009/11/homemade-seitan/ once you've followed the recipe for the first time it becomes second nature and is super easy to make again. you can make it into steaks, burgers, "ribs", whatever. (we made "cheese"-stuffed burgers a few weeks ago)

Where do you get the vital wheat gluten flour from Lucy?

you can definitely get it from VX - http://www.vegancross.com/product_p/vwg500.htm

also the vegan store - http://www.veganstore.co.uk/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=1&Product_Code=056&Category_Code=#.UnodkrvHP-I

and i think Longdan (the oriental supermarket chain (is it a chain if it's two stores?) in Dalston and Elephant) also definitely do it.

i'd tentatively suggest whole foods and holland & barrett too but don't quote me on that...

lol - Fugg boots

Food for Thought in Covent Garden is to close after 40 years:

http://now-here-this.timeout.com/2015/03/25/food-for-thought-in-covent-garden-to-close-after-40-years/

I can't say I was a regular but they've obviously been a key player on the veggie scene for longer than most independent restaurants, and will be missed by many.

Last day 21 June 2015. http://foodforthought-london.co.uk/news.html

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/ikea-introduces-veggie-balls-to-rival-famous-meatballs-10162198.html

I think Fat Gay Vegan said a while back that these were going to be vegan. Not that I'd encourage anyone to go to IKEA and miss rides, of course.

Suggestions for veggie food in the Paddington-Notting Hill area, and around Covent Garden area? Nice pubs with good veggie food, or cheaper veg restaurants preferred.

Sagar in Covent Garden do very good dosa's if your into indian.

@CheeseWheel The Coach and Horses in Soho does veggie pub food, I've been, it's pretty good: https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d1389714-Reviews-Norman_s_Coach_Horses-London_England.html

Don't have the vegan fish n chips though or it'll repeat on you all day... I speak from experience!

Not cheap and raw may not be your thing, but I've only just heard the name of this one, so just in case:

http://namafoods.com/

I haven't been.

Nama's food is really good! I forget I'm eating raw food because a lot of processes have gone into preparing it. I always feel really good after eating there (apart from the bill...). Go on a day when you're in a good mood. The staff, in my experience, are super slow and inefficient.

Probably vegan. Under nourished ;)

Thanks, Bea. Good to know.