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The Renal Diet Recipes

April 12, 2014 24 Comments Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Uncategorized

Much of food TV, food writing and of course, food blogging, is aspirational, part of a ‘lifestyle’: female chefs on TV are always young, slim and unsweaty, food writing is often about rare and expensive ingredients and time-consuming methods, while food blogging can be so twee. Who ties up their freshly-made cookies with ribbon? Who always drinks from a retro paper striped straw? As a self-confessed food geek, I’m always trying hard-core DIY recipes so I plead guilty to the second sin. And I am sometimes prone to the third vice, of prettying up my food photography and recipes, unlikely to be replicated by the average, home tired-from-work cook.
But at the other end of the scale from all this ‘lifestyle’ cookery, are the people whose diet is so limited as to be dreary, but they have no choice. I’ve been working with Vital Arts to create vibrant tasty recipes for renal patients, people on dialysis. 
Dialysis is a full-time job; people with kidney failure must go in to the renal ward for five hours, three times a week. Work is difficult and holidays are virtually impossible. The patients are tired all the time. Dialysis, while keeping them alive, is exhausting: you have all your blood taken out, cleaned and put back in. During the process, you feel at your most vulnerable, the life blood is literally being drained out of you. Most renal patients have diabetes. The diabetes explosion in the West will inevitably lead to a surge in demand for dialysis a few years down the line. 
There aren’t enough kidneys for transplant. Immediately after my visit, I signed up online to donate my organs. Do it.
Most of the patients on the dialysis ward at the Royal London Hospital, the largest in Europe, are from ethnic minorities: African, Caribbean and from the Indian sub-continent. One of the reasons for this is that there are less donated organs from ethnic minorities and cross-racial organ donation often don’t match for both blood and tissue types.  Ethnic minorities wait longer for organ donation and spend longer, often years, on dialysis. 
The renal diet is very restrictive. No potassium, no salt, and about half a litre of liquid a day, including all the liquid they have in their food. Sufferers are reduced to sucking ice cubes to allay thirst. Their kidneys have shut down and they cannot process the excess liquid. No potassium means for instance, no bananas, no yams, few nuts, few tomatoes, a tiny amount of coconut milk. Potatoes must be boiled and drained then cooked again, to rid them of potassium. And imagine a life without salt. In addition, the fact that most renal patients are diabetic means that they must restrict sugar, fruit and carbs in their diet as well as fat: double whammy. 
The people on the ward tend to go in for dialysis with the same people, on the same shift, every week, so they get to know each other really well. They develop close relationships, especially those that are picked up and dropped off by NHS bus, spending three days a week with each other. One of the favourite topics of conversation is food, so Vital Arts asked me to create some recipe cards of dishes that they could eat. The official NHS diet sheets tend to feature British food; in fact the over-boiled, bland food that the British have been trying to move away from, is exactly what a renal patient should be eating. But as dialysis patients come from different cultures, they want more inspirational recipes, dishes they can salivate over. At the same time the recipes should be fairly simple, for people on dialysis have little energy to cook. 
I went along to chat to some patients about the food they like and came up with three recipes. Vegetables and fruit are a problem for people on dialysis, they contain too much fluid. Therefore it is easier to have a protein based, meat diet. So one of the recipes is a chicken recipe, which has been tested. It’s the only meat recipe I’ve ever included on this blog. 
Finally there was an excellent recipe given by a lady of Nigerian origin, a yam chips and tomato stew: she convincingly told us that her Nigerian diet was fine for people on dialysis. But the NHS dieticians said no, it was far too high in potassium. All of the below recipes were checked by the NHS dieticians, I was told to use less oil, less olives, to boil vegetables then drain the water away before using them. 

Shamim’s Chicken Tagine with ras el hanout

 Shamim, 54, is originally from Pakistan. She’s been in the UK for 35 years. Her husband has his own business selling gear boxes for cars and Shamim used to work for him. She has been on dialysis for one year now. Her daughter and her daughter-in-law, from Dubai, cook for her but are careful to comply with her diet.
This is a recipe from her daughter-in-law. It’s spectacular, a feast for a family and uses a North African cooking pot called a tagine. This is shaped like a cone, condensation runs up the insides and back down into the food. If you don’t have one, you can use a shallow casserole dish with a lid or, as many modern North Africans use, a pressure cooker.

Serves 6 people

1 tbsp of olive oil
1 medium chicken, jointed, cleaned
1 onion, sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
5 carrots, boiled for 10 minutes, then sliced. Water discarded
A pinch of saffron, ground
Juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp of ras el hanout spice mix (can be bought but recipe below)
3 black olives, stoned
handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, picked off the stems
150ml of water

Garnish with fresh parsley and or dried rose petals

Ras el hanout spice mix

This can be ground and used for several weeks if kept in a dry place. Every Arabic shop has it’s own spice mixture, here is a standard approximation of this recipe. Ras el hanout means from the best in the shop.
2 sticks of cinnamon,
10 cloves
1 tbsp of coriander seeds
1 tbsp of cumin seeds
1 tbsp of fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp of fennel seeds
1 tbsp of brown mustard seeds
2 tbsp of dried rose petals

Dry roast all of the ingredients except for the rose petals in a heavy bottomed frying pan, making sure you do not burn the spices. You want the oils and flavours of the spices to emerge.
Then grind all of the ingredients in a powerful blender or a pestle and mortar.

Method for the tagine:

Heat up your tagine or shallow casserole on a medium heat and when it has reached temperature, turn down the heat to low. First brown the chicken pieces in the oil, then place all the ingredients in the tajine, in order, with the chicken on top in your cooking vessel. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about an hour. If cooking in a casserole, first brown the chicken pieces in the oil, then layer up the casserole dish and bake at 160º for 1 hour 15 minutes. (If using a pressure cooker, follow the manufacturers instructions)

Garnish with parsley and rose petals. Serve with couscous.

Selina’s Bangladeshi Fish Curry

Selina is 48,
originally from Chitagarh in Bangladesh. She has been on dialysis for just over a year. She’s been in the UK for 25 years, coming here as a 15 year old with her
sister. Her sister died ten years ago. She’s done several jobs while in the UK,
worked in a shoe shop, in sweet shops and in a dry cleaners. She is helped by
an English gentleman, a pensioner from the East End, who sometimes accompanies
her to hospital for her dialysis, and cooks for her. He cooks typically English
food which is rather bland, but good for a renal diet. But this is a favourite
dish of hers, from her country.
Serves 2
1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil or mustard oil 
1 tbsp of turmeric powder
400g of tilapia fillets, washed and patted dry
with kitchen paper
1 tbsp of vegetable oil
A pinch of red chilli powder (optional)
1 bay leaf
4 green cardamom pods, crushed
1 tsp of cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 brown onion, finely diced
1 whole green chilli, deseeded, sliced thinly
1 thumb of fresh ginger, peeled and finely
chopped
1 tsp of ground coriander
1 tsp of ground cumin
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
2 tomatoes, chopped finely
a handful of fresh coriander leaves, picked
from their stems
Juice of half a lime.
Rub the turmeric powder and oil over the fish fillets
and leave to marinate for ten minutes. Pre-heat the grill and grill the tilapia fillets until golden on each side. Handle them gently
as you do not want the fillets to break up. Once cooked, lift out the fillets
and set aside.
In a frying pan, fry the oil, red chilli powder if using,
the bay leaf, green cardamom, and cumin seeds.
Add the garlic, onion, ginger and green chilli
then add the ground coriander, ground cumin and turmeric powder.
Stir on a medium heat for five or so
minutes, then add the tomatoes. Cook for another five to ten minutes then add
the tilapia fillets. These should take around five or so minutes to cook.
Garnish with coriander and a squeeze of lime.
Serve with chapatti.
Kalla’s Kiri Hodi 
Kalla, 51, was
brought up in Sri Lanka and Malaysia. She’s suffered from high blood pressure
since her early 20s, hence she has been on dialysis for four years in the
self-care section.
The renal diet means no nuts, no seafood, no
aubergines, all of which are extensively used in the Malaysian and Sri Lankan
food of her youth but Kalla occasionally has some as a treat when her
mother comes to visit. Asian fruit and vegetables are particularly high in
potassium.
String hoppers are a kind of steamed rice cake like idli. One requires a mould and a basket or pallet to steam them. 
But for this recipe, we have used rice noodles or you could serve rice. 
Kalla’s mother makes her own chilli powder. She
grows her own chillies and takes it to a local miller, where they ground spice
mixtures in small batches.
Note: liquid is obviously a problem with the
renal diet so only a small amount of the Kiri Hodi gravy must be eaten.
Generally a dry curry is best for those on dialysis.
This meal is eaten for breakfast or dinner.
Hoppers are one of the most ancient foods, dating from the 1st century.
Kiri Hodi with String Hoppers or rice noodles
Serves 2
String Hoppers
225g of plain flour or  white or roasted red rice flour
(available at Indian shops)
A pinch of salt
335ml of hot water
Kiri Hodi
400g of King Fish
1/2 a red onion, thinly sliced
1 small green chilli, deseeded, sliced thinly
3 -4 fresh curry leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 cinnamon stick, whole, removed from sauce before serving
1/4 tsp of fenugreek seeds, dry roasted
50ml coconut milk
200ml of soy milk
Juice of half a lime
Garnish: fresh coriander
String hopper method:
Prepare a double boiler/ bain marie steamer
with hot water just enough water to rest below where you will place the string
hopper baskets.
Mix the flour and salt in a bowl then add the
hot water, mixing it together. Do the ‘ball’ test. If you can press the crumbly
dough into a large ball then you have the right texture. It shouldn’t be too
wet however. It is important to knead the dough while it is hot. If the dough
is too hot for your hands then empty the dough into a ziplock bag and knead it
with a tea towel.
Knead the dough until it is fully mixed with no
lumps.
Using a string hopper mould, place the dough
into the gadget and squeeze out the noodles onto the string hopper pallet or
basket, using a circular motion.
Place the pallets of noodles into the double
boiler and steam the noodles over the boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes.
Kiri Hodi method:
Put all the ingredients except for the lime
juice in a saucepan on a medium heat and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Then
add the lime and a pinch of salt, bring up to a boil then switch off. Keep
stirring and serve with string hoppers.
Vermicelli Rice Noodles:
Soak the rice noodles in boiling water for 15 minutes, then serve.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. caramelnibbles

    April 12, 2014 at 2:28 pm

    Really interesting subject matter, what an important topic to discuss. Did you take these photos? I really like them, the lighting is beautiful.

    Reply
  2. Kerstin Rodgers

    April 12, 2014 at 5:35 pm

    Yes I did thank you x

    Reply
  3. Sarah Moore

    April 13, 2014 at 6:20 am

    I remember your tweets about this and was looking forward to hearing more. I hope some work is being done to encourage more people from minority ethnic groups to sign up for organ donation.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      April 13, 2014 at 9:20 am

      Yes I wonder why they don't….

      Reply
  4. Debs Dust Bunny

    April 13, 2014 at 2:36 pm

    Fascinating topic and one that makes me feel a bit guilty about my casual attitude towards food. My father died of renal disease but he was never given a proper diet to follow. Excellent work, Kerstin. I am sure this will be helpful to lots of people.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      April 14, 2014 at 10:21 am

      Was this in the states? How awful….

      Reply
  5. Joe @ One Handed Toast

    April 13, 2014 at 6:57 pm

    Some well put comments about the ubiquity of aspiration and tweeness. This is a truly great post and I really appreciate the time and energy invested in so many personal stories. Particularly welcome is Shamim's tagging and the reminder about el hangout spice mix. Kiri Hodi also looks lovely. Hoppers, wow! Thanks to all the contributors.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      April 14, 2014 at 10:22 am

      It was enlightening talking to the patients, the kind of food reportage I love doing.

      Reply
  6. Anonymous

    April 14, 2014 at 3:11 am

    Thank you for working so hard to help those suffering. Such a restricted diet, not to mention the dialysis itself, is suffering indeed. I agree the pictures are wonderful. Thanks again! Christina in the US

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      April 14, 2014 at 10:23 am

      Thanks. Do check out the work of vital arts, who created this project, a really useful, self funded organisation.

      Reply
    • Vital Arts

      April 16, 2014 at 1:11 pm

      Thanks so much, Kerstin. Really happy with how these came out and looking forward to getting the patients feedback. It's been great working with you! Rachel, Vital Arts (www.vitalarts.org.uk)

      Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      April 17, 2014 at 12:24 pm

      You are more than welcome Rachel, it was a fascinating project.

      Reply
  7. Deborah Manger

    April 14, 2014 at 7:10 am

    I understand completely as I have a dietary restriction. Makes famil cooking even more of a challenge as growing teenagers in particular need a balanced diet. These recipes provide super inspiration

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      April 14, 2014 at 10:24 am

      Thanks Deborah

      Reply
  8. Sally - My Custard Pie

    April 17, 2014 at 8:39 am

    Easy to get sucked into the 'string round the cookies' kind of food photography. Personally like more honest food pics – and then it's more about the food than the (fake) lifestyle.
    A friend has had 3 kidney transplants and was on dialysis for a while – I witnessed what a toll it took on her and how incredibly time consuming it is ….just to stay alive. To have that burden plus a restriction on your eating habits sounds pretty unbearable. I love how you've turned your resourcefulness and imagination to this project. Great stories behind the pictures and recipes. I've had a kidney donor card forever and still carry it when in the UK. I don't understand why people object to the 'opt out' rather than 'opt in' sort of scheme. It would transform so many lives. Great post Kerstin.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      April 17, 2014 at 12:17 pm

      Thanks Sally. I also have a weakness for twee food pix. In fact I think I even have a lovely pix of home-made biscuits tied with some fashionable twine!
      The really worrying thing is that ethnic minorities don't donate organs. I have no idea why. Jehovahs witnesses? And I guess there are less available ethnic minority organs in general in the UK as they are but 14 % of the population.

      Reply
  9. Cate

    April 18, 2014 at 11:42 pm

    What a wonderful post! I feel rather humbled to have read it, such fantastic work

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      April 19, 2014 at 10:47 am

      Thanks Cate. Vital Arts are doing…well…vital work!

      Reply
  10. Johanna GGG

    April 22, 2014 at 2:17 am

    What a great project. In Australia our Aboriginal people have a shamefully high rate of dialysis. There are cultural reasons for it that are incredibly complex – one of my favourite stories of resilience in the Aboriginal community is how they brought dialysis to a remote community through an art auction – https://www.westerndesertdialysis.com/our-story/history – but now your story makes me wonder about issues of nutrition and how they affect dialysis patients too.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      April 22, 2014 at 10:18 am

      Thanks for your comment Johanna. What kind of diet do aborginals tend to have? I imagine those that stick to a traditional diet don't have kidney problems? Why do they tend to have dialysis?
      I've never been to Australia, and that is something I MUST rectify.

      Reply
  11. Lee Burns

    April 22, 2014 at 7:08 am

    What an excellent, thought provoking and poignantly matter-of-fact bit of writing. Thank you, and also to the people who shared their stories and recipes.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      April 22, 2014 at 10:19 am

      Thanks Lee. They are the heroes in the story.

      Reply
  12. Jeanne

    April 26, 2014 at 3:34 pm

    I love this post. My mom was born with polycystic kidney disease and spent 6 years on peritoneal and the last 6 months of her life on haemodialysis so I am horribly familiar with the toll dialysis takes. Dietary advice from her renal specialist was minimal so she had to find out all this info the hard way. I love all three recipes as well as the personal stories behind them.

    Reply
    • Kerstin Rodgers

      April 26, 2014 at 4:48 pm

      Your poor mum!

      Reply

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MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

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msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed t Got the sewing machine out last night and hemmed the top of these toile de jouey curtains in my summer house shed. The days are lengthening a little which brightens up my mood. Self care= trying to get up and washed. Trying to leave the house once a day. Keeping my hands busy. Finding small ways to be creative. #coronaloner #sewingmachine #curtains #shedsofinstagram #sheshed #springiscoming #supperclub #stayingsane #selfcare #lockdown3
Pasta aglio olio. I’m turning into a vampire. I Pasta aglio olio. I’m turning into a vampire. I get up later and later every day. I’m living in a twilight world- dim skies, getting nothing done. Next week it’s my birthday and every year I’m at my lowest ebb just before my birthday. Lockdown on your own is tough. My motivation, my mojo has disappeared. #lockdown3 #coronaloner #pastadinner #nofilter #january2021 #januarychallenge #selfemployedwomen #single #aquarius #0degrees
On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronal On the heath on Sunday. Must. Walk. More. #coronaloner
Tonight’s lockdown dinner with my bubble. Proper Tonight’s lockdown dinner with my bubble. Proper pesto alla genovese with trofie, small boiled salad potatoes, steamed green beans (good tip: steam the beans in a colander plopped on top of the potatoes or pasta), good quality pesto sauce ( mine from local microbakery @seansloaf ), good olive oil (@pomoragoodfood), torn fresh basil, a few pine nuts. This turns this student dish into a balanced meal of carbs, veg and a little protein.  It’s cold outside, I’ve lit the fire. Covid rages in Kilburn high road in north west london. The rate is 1 in 30 london wide but I feel it’s higher in this poor inner london area. We have a high BAME population who are particularly vulnerable. It’s a little bit anarchic on my high street: cars perched on kerbs waiting for hijabi women, braving pound shops and Aldi . We are all covered up now. In winter masks keep your face warm, but you have a choice between safety and being able to see. I’ve not managed to prevent the inevitable steaming up of my glasses when wearing a mask. Nothing works.  #january #londonwinter #pestopasta #pestoallagenovese #vegetarian #pasta #trofie #supperclub #covid_19 #lockdownlife #lockdown3 #bubblegang
Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Mi Galette des Rois, made yesterday in 12th night. Minus Crown and king as I cannot find either. This one is made with Tonka bean. Plus homemade puff pastry (well worth the effort). According to ike delorenzo at The Atlantic:  The tonka bean, a flat, wrinkled legume from South America with an outsize flavor that the US government has declared illegal. Nonetheless, it proliferates on elite American menus. The tiniest shavings erupt in a Broceliande of transporting, mystical aromas.
The taste of the tonka bean is linked strongly to its scent. "Scents," I should say, as the tonka bean has many at once. I register the aromas of vanilla, cherry, almond, and something spicy—a bit like cinnamon. When served cold—say, in tonka bean ice cream—the taste is like a vanilla caramel with dark honey. When warm, perhaps shaved over scallops, it moves toward spiced vanilla. Additionally, the aroma of the tonka bean shavings (it's almost always shaved) is so affecting that it seems like an actual taste in the way that opium, which has no taste in the traditional sense, "tastes" like its rich, flowery smoke.  Here is the recipe: 

Tonka bean galette des rois

Serves 8
Ingredients
* 140 g caster sugar
* 125 g salted butter, softened
* 100 g ground almonds
* 2 eggs, medium
* 1 tonka bean, grated
* 2 packs ready made butter puff pastry on a roll
* 1 yolk for brushing the pastry
Instructions
* Preheat your oven to 200c.

* Blend the butter with the sugar then add the almonds. Make sure it’s well mixed. Add in the 2 eggs one at a time, then add the tonka bean.

* If using a block: divide the puff pastry into two and roll out to 5mm thick. 
* Make two circles about 15 cm’s each in diameter. Lay one circle on a silicone mat/parchment paper on a baking tray and fill with the almond cream leaving a 3 cm border around the edge. 
* Paint the border with the egg yolk. Then lay the other circle on top, sealing the edges with a fork. 
* You could then carve designs into the top. Make a little slit in the middle to let steam escape then brush the top with the egg yolk
Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. T Mapo tofu is probably my favourite Sichuan dish. This is a vegan version. ***

Ingredients:
- 400 g box of soft tofu not silken
- 5 soaked dried shiitake mushrooms, diced, keep water
- 1 red bell pepper, finely sliced
- 400 g fresh shiitake mushroom, sliced thinly
- 400 ml vegetable stock
- 1 thumb fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 tbsps groundnut or vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp fermented bean paste
- 1 or 2 small red chillies, minced or a spoonful of Chinese chilli paste
- 1 tsp heaped sichuan peppercorns, finely ground
- 2 tbsps soy or tamari sauce
- 2 tbsp cornflour in 3 tbsps water, mixed into a slurry
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
- large pinch fresh coriander leaves

Prepare the tofu by cutting it into one inch cubes and soaking it in hot but not boiling salted water. Drain after 15 minutes.
Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms, covering them in boiling water. Leave until soft, then dice the mushrooms. Retain the mushroom soaking water and add to the vegetable stock water.
Prepare the other ingredients so they are ready to stir-fry: red bell pepper, fresh mushrooms, ginger, garlic.

Using a wok or deep frying pan, add the oil and heat to frying temperature. Add the bell peppers,fry for a couple of minutes, then add fermented bean paste, chilli paste or chillies, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sichuan pepper.
Add the mushroom/vegetable broth and simmer on high for a couple of minutes.
Carefully add the cubes of tofu, taking care not to break them too much.
Add the cornflour slurry, stirring for a couple of minutes.
Serve with rice or noodles, garnishing with spring onions or chives and or coriander leaves.  #veganuary #mapotofu #sichuanfood #tofu  #shitakemushrooms #supperclub #londonchef #msmarmitelover #ham&highcolumn #eatplants #lockdown3 #selfisolation #coronaloner #cooking #recipe #cookingfromscratch
Macaroni cheese with odds and sods from the Christ Macaroni cheese with odds and sods from the Christmas leftover cheese board. I’ve used @paxtonscheese truffled brillat-savarin and a mystery hard cheese that’s lost its label. Plus cream and topped it with samphire fried in butter. Haven’t bothered with making a roux- this is the lockdown lazy version.  #lockdownlazy #lockdown3 #supperclub #macandcheese #macaronicheese #truffledcheese #leftovers #leftovercheeseboard #londonlockdown #breakfast #coronaloner
Another thing the Japanese are brilliant at is san Another thing the Japanese are brilliant at is sandwiches. They use the softest, whitest, fluffiest bread. Their mayonnaise kewpie is gorgeous I don’t know why. Perhaps someone here can explain? Here I’ve used sourdough as it’s what I have; kosho which is a Yuzu citrus and green chilli condiment and the aforesaid kewpie Mayo to make an egg 🥚 sandwich.  I’m not a big egg fan but I suddenly had the urge. Also I’ve noticed when I eat eggs it satiates my hunger for hours. All that protein.  #sandwich #sandwiches #japanesesandwich #kewpiemayo #kosho #eggsandwich #sourdough #supperclub #cookingforone #solo #londonlife #lockdownlondon #recipe #snack #sundaysnack #sando
Agedashi tofu for New Year’s Day. With a vegan d Agedashi tofu for New Year’s Day. With a vegan dashi stock, it’s perfect for veganuary. How to make dashi: put a piece of kombu seaweed in water. Soak for half an hour then simmer for half an hour (don’t let it boil). Then mix 2 cups of dashi with 2 tbsps of mirin and 2 of soy sauce.  For the tofu: press soft tofu with weights for half an hour, then cut into cubes. Dust all over with cornflour.  Then deep fry the tofu cubes in 180C veg oil until they float. Set aside to drain, then place say 3 cubes in small bowl. Pour the sauce around and top with spring onion and daikon and togarashi 7 spice.  #easypeasyvegan #veganuary #agedashitofu #tofu #japaneseveganrecipe #newyearsday #freshstart #supperclub #londonsupperclub #msmarmitelover #visforvegan #recipe
Writing about tofu which I think has an unfair rep Writing about tofu which I think has an unfair reputation in this country. It’s so flexible and is a brilliant flavour sponge. Here I’m preparing my soft tofu for a Japanese dish: agedashi tofu. I first pressed it in a clean tea towel with a weight on top to firm it up a bit but not too much. Then I dusted it with cornflour and I will deep fry it in oil. Then I will serve it in a broth of dashi/mirin and tamari sauce, sprinkled with finely chopped spring onions and togarashi pepper from Japan. I would usually add some finely mandolined daikon radish but couldn’t find any. It’s a subtle dish of texture: soft yet crispy. After Christmas I’m desperate for light zingy fresh flavoured food. #supperclub #tofu #vegan #vegetarian #agedashitofu #newyearsday #cookingagain #lunch #asian #japanesefood
Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holdi Happy new year from my bubble to yours! Keep holding on...
#happynewyear #happynewyear2021 #supperclub #hootenanny
Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg includi Some of my Christmas food 🥘 lots of veg including mashed swede with cheese and butter. I put pomegranate seeds with my sprouts, and cooked my carrots in marmalade ( worked v well), the mushroom wreath fell apart as I was transferring it to a tray 😤, roast potatoes and parsnips, then a cheese spread with fruit nuts, quince cheese (homemade), Chocs @lindtuk 😍 @guylian_uk @disaronno_official @baileysofficial @taylorsportwine and Brazil nuts. Plus a pavlova wreath ready to be topped with whipped cream and persimmons. 
#christmasdinner #vegetarianchristmas #vegetarianchristmasdinner #supperclub #londonchristmas #liqueurs #christmasspread #grazing #cheeseboard #port #pavlova
Christmas has started! Home-cured smoked beetroot Christmas has started!  Home-cured smoked beetroot and aquavit salmon with homemade blinis, creme fraiche, dill, Prosecco.  The fire is lit 🔥, the tree is up, 🎄the presents 🎁 are wrapped, we have a #brexit deal- a Christmas miracle. Peace and harmony. #christmas #christmasinengland #homemade #christmaseve #blinis #smokedsalmon #prosecco🍾 #londonchristmas
Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christm Done some doorscaping, the latest trend in Christmas decorating. It might also cheer up passersby. #christmas #christmasdecor #doorscaping #doorsofinstagram #londonchristmas #doorwreath #doordecor #doorsoftheworld #doordecoration #exteriors #london #supperclub #covidchristmas
Look at my gorgeous Nordic pine Christmas tree 🎄 from @pinesandneedles with some family ornaments and beautiful foodie ornaments from @gisela_graham  it’s 7 foot high and no drop. My parents brought over the candle lights. I’ve also used paper ornaments (apples and pears cut from maps) from @dionne_leonard which I first commissioned for a supper club.  #christmas #christmastree #christmasdecor #foodiedecorations #glassbaubles #supperclub #christmasinlondon
More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the seller More #fbmarketplacefinds I find meeting the sellers interesting. It’s often about moving on whether through death, a change of circumstances, moving country, loss of a job. Today I visited a gorgeously renovated Edwardian house where the owners, an antique dealer & a master decorator had died with 18 months of each other of cancer.  The sister was there emptying the house, an incredibly painful experience. The husband who died was an expert in putting up lincrusta wallpaper which I’ve pictured here. All that craftsmanship and knowledge lost now.  The piece I got on Sunday, the teal chinoiserie cabinet, was from a Spanish guy returning to Spain. He’d lost his job as a hotel manager, the hotel, a big one, has now closed. The marble coffee table and arepas grill was from a Spanish couple who’d had a restaurant here for 40 years. They are now returning to Spain. Other slides: green Edwardian fireplace tiles, William Morris wallpaper, 2 small scalloped coffee tables, a knife and fork cutlery hook set.  A fireplace for my bedroom if I can find someone to put it in. #lockdownstories #covidstories #movingon #decor #interiors #bargains #secondhandstyle #edwardianstyle #williammorris #tiles #wallpaper #scallopededge #teal #chinoiserie #whitemarble #vintage #kitchenalia #supperclubrefurb #london #lincrustawallpaper
Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford Another #fbmarketplace find £30. I can’t afford proper chinoiserie so I make do with fakes. The gradual doing up of my flat proceeds apace. Need to start on main bedroom. Looking for a storage ottoman (velvet?) bench to turn into a horizontal filing cabinet.  Any ideas? Above is a map of london based on the A to Z map which a minicab office was tossing out. Remember when we all carried mini A to Z books in our handbags? Before google maps? #nocrushedvelvet #chinoiserie #supperclubrefurb #londonapartment #londonflat #norfweezy #decor #organising #storage #interiors
My new/old rise and fall light over the dining tab My new/old rise and fall light over the dining table. Found for £50 on #fbmarketplace  but originally from @thefrenchhouse.net_ one of my favourite shops. Every day, a little more progress. #supperclubrefurb #supperclub #londonflat #interiors #lighting #riseandfalllights #lightingisimportant #frenchstyle #vintagestyle #rusticstyle #turquoise #diningtabledecor
Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @k Two vegetarian meal kits, laksa and ramen, from @kit.eats.uk. Took only a couple of minutes to cook(see stories) and very good. I’m trying a few meal kits of late to see how hospitality has adapted to the great reset. As a cook I’ve always thought why would I need these but now I get it: it’s like going to a restaurant- the pleasure of food prepared by someone else. Getting jolted off of your normal repertoire, so it’s teaching cooking too.  #mealkits #vegetarian #homecooked #hospitality #covid #takeawayfood #foodpackaging #laksa #ramen #supperclubchef
Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up Still working on my glass cupboard. I’ve hung up all my wine bottle openers and cork screws. My favourite is the zigzag bottom left. If you find them at a flea market in France, if you are lucky you may get it for around 35 euros.  #supperclub #londonflat #londoninteriors #corkscrews #frenchkitchenalia #zigzag #tirebouchon #oakcupboard #diy #diyprojects
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