Pear & Tahini Porridge

MISO MUSHROOM DUMPLINGS

PREPARATION TIME: 20-35 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 35 MINUTES | MAKES ABOUT 15

INGREDIENTS

500g chestnut mushrooms (or a mix of varieties) 1 onion, diced 2 leeks, finely sliced 3 cloves of garlic, diced 2 tsp brown rice miso paste 15 dumpling wrappers Olive oil Toasted sesame oil Pinch of sesame seeds Cut all the mushrooms into small pieces, about the same size as a pea. Place a large pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once warm, add the onion, leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt to the pan. Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the onions and leeks turn soft. Stir in the chopped mushrooms, mixing really well, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring every now and then to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the mushrooms have softened, mix through the miso paste and cook for another 5 minutes until everything is cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside. Once the mixture is cool, assemble the dumplings. There are two ways to do this: 1. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the mushroom filling into the centre of each dumpling wrapper. Hold the dumpling in one hand and close your hand to fold the dumpling together. Once the dumpling is in a V shape, pinch the sides together to seal. You can make little folds like traditional dumplings, or keep it simple by just sealing the outsides. You should be left with a little half-moon dumpling as shown in the photo. 2. For a slightly simpler way, spoon 1 tablespoon of the mushroom filling into the centre of each dumpling wrapper, then bring all the edges of the wrapper together in the middle, enclosing the filling. Pinch the top together and twist to seal. You should be left with a little round dumpling. Repeat whichever process you prefer until you have assembled all the dumplings, then place them in the fridge until needed. To cook the dumplings, heat a drizzle of toasted sesame oil in a pan over a medium heat. Once hot, add the dumplings to the pan and cook on each side for 2-4 minutes until golden and cooked through, adding a dash of water when you flip them. Serve the dumplings immediately with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.

METHOD

“Mental health is a lifelong journey, ever evolving, so the conversation about it should be never ending. Give up that cruel self-talk, it’s toxic and doesn’t serve anyone. Instead, do good stuff for others and make affirmations of kindness to yourself. I know that not moving my body and eating food that I haven’t cooked affects my head and makes me sad. Bad habits like this are formed through fear, getting stuck. Breaking them is hard… but freedom awaits. Don’t wait. You’re SO worth a few broken windows: let the light in.

SWEETCORN RIBS WITH CASHEW AIOLI SAUCE

PREPARATION TIME: 10-25 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 40 MINUTES | SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SWEETCORN RIBS 2 corn on the cob 3 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp sumac Pinch of sea salt flakes Pinch of chilli flakes

FOR THE CASHEW AIOLI 150g cashews 100ml almond milk 1 clove of garlic, peeled 1 lemon, juiced 1 tsp Dijon mustard Pinch of salt Pinch of paprika Preheat the oven to 210°c/190°c fan/Gas Mark 6½. Place the cashews into a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for at least 10 minutes to soften.

METHOD

FOR THE SWEETCORN RIBS Halve the corn cobs lengthways down the middle, then again so you have 4 ribs from each cob. This is usually easiest starting at the top and cutting the whole way down. Place the sweetcorn ribs onto a large baking tray and make the rub by mixing the olive oil, smoked paprika and sumac together in a small bowl. Brush this rub over the sweetcorn until completely coated before topping each piece with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. Cook in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the corn pieces have curled up a little and turned golden on the outside.

FOR THE CASHEW AIOLI Drain the cashews and place into a blender along with all the other ingredients. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding a dash more almond milk if needed.

TO SERVE Place the sweetcorn ribs onto a serving plate and sprinkle with chilli flakes. Spoon the cashew aioli into a small bowl with a pinch of paprika on top to serve.

“Try not to take on board what people who don’t know you say about you. If they are being negative, chances are they are projecting their own insecurities and issues. If they are being positive then this is great but don’t let that get to your head or distract you from your goals.

LAWRENCE OKOLIE (@LAWRENCEOKOLIE)