Adapt, Improvise, Overcome

The title of this post was pinched from a Clint Eastwood movie (I think it was Heartbreak Ridge?) about a group of no hoper soldiers fighting in Grenada. I think it's quite a good motto to adopt in these straitened times. I don't like War Movies but I do like Mr Eastwood.

Nigel Slater's recipe for Chickpea, Lemongrass, Pumpkin and Coriander required a few things I just didn't have in store and couldn't buy on Tuesday. So, applying the above philosophy, I substituted the following: vegetable oil for groundnut oil, lemon balm for lemongrass, water for vegetable stock, diluted coconut cream for coconut milk, a tsp of mustard powder for mustard seeds, mixed herbs for coriander and long grain rice for basmati. The most experimental of the above was the lemon balm. DH brought the plant home from one of our neighbours some while ago and, although it's fragrance is beautiful and the bees love it, I'd never been confident enough to use it in the kitchen. However, when surfing, I came across a discussion about herbal tea and lemon balm was one of the plants being used. So, while I could have used a lemon or lime or even some dried kaffir lime leaves I had in store, I decided to give it a go. I think the subtle, sweet, lemony flavour was close enough to lemongrass to be a good substitute, and I will use it again until my own are ready. Oh and a quick word about the vegetable/groundnut oil substitution. According to St Delia, groundnut oil is used because it doesn't have a strong flavour so vegetable oil makes a good substitute and very often it is rapeseed oil grown and processed in this country so I can support local farmers and reduce my food miles.