Cookbook:Vegetable Stew and Dumplings

| Vegan cuisine

Stew

 * 4 medium potatoes
 * Margarine or olive oil (or a mixture of both)
 * 4–5 large carrots, peeled and sliced
 * 2 medium sized onions, chopped
 * 4–5 sticks of celery, chopped
 * 1 large green bell pepper, roughly chopped
 * 1 large red bell pepper, roughly chopped
 * 2 level tablespoons flour
 * 1 tin (400 g) tomatoes, chopped
 * 2 tablespoons tomato paste
 * 1 (or more) cloves of garlic, crushed
 * 2 teaspoons vegan dehydrated vegetable stock
 * 1 dessert spoon (2.5 teaspoons) yeast extract spread (Marmite)
 * 1 tin (260 g) butter beans or chickpeas (or a mix of both)
 * ½ cup (200 g) frozen or fresh garden peas
 * Salt to taste
 * Ground black pepper to taste

Dumplings

 * 110 g (4 oz) self-raising flour
 * 50 g (2 oz) margarine
 * 1 teaspoon baking powder (optional)
 * 1 teaspoon baking soda (optional)
 * 1 pinch of salt
 * Ground black pepper to taste

Procedure

 * 1) Peel the potatoes and cut them into roughly 4 cm (1½-inch) chunks.
 * 2) On low heat, heat the margarine in a large saucepan. Add the potatoes, carrots, onions, celery, and bell peppers. Stir, making sure all vegetables get a good coating of the oil.
 * 3) Gently fry/sweat the vegetables for 3 minutes and season well, then add the flour and continue to stir and coat all the vegetables.
 * 4) Stir in the tin of chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste, then add enough water to cover all the ingredients in the pan.
 * 5) Simmer gently for a further 3 minutes, occasionally stirring.
 * 6) Stir in the stock/bouillon, yeast extract, and garlic.
 * 7) Place a lid on (with a slight gap to allow some of the steam to escape), and gently simmer on a low heat for 35–50 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.
 * 8) Make the dumpling mixture: Sift the self-raising flour, baking powder, and baking soda into a large bowl. Cut the margarine into the flour, and add a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper.
 * 9) Add a very small quantity of cold water and pinch-mix with your fingers (you can always add more later), just enough to make a strong, sticky dough.
 * 10) Test the main stew to see if it's ready for adding the dumpling dough. Take a carrot from the pan and if it feels semi-cooked, but still firm, then it is the perfect time to add the butter beans and peas.
 * 11) Taste, then adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
 * 12) Distribute walnut-sized lumps of dough, evenly spaced, on top of the simmering stew.
 * 13) Replace the lid and cook for a further 20–25 minutes, at which time you should have large, light and fluffy dumplings.
 * 14) Serve the stew and dumplings piping hot straight from the pan with fresh crusty bread and prepared yellow mustard on the side.