Lidia Paz

Budget porridge
Method
STEP 1
Tip the oats and cinnamon into a non-stick pan with 150ml water and the 250ml soya milk. Put the pan over a gentle heat. Once simmering, leave for 5 mins, stirring frequently (as soya milk has a tendency to stick) until the porridge has thickened.

STEP 2
Meanwhile, coarsely grate the apples, including the skin, into a bowl, until you're just left with the cores.

STEP 3
Serve the porridge with the apple, raisins and nuts on top, and sprinkle over some extra cinnamon, if you like. Stir through the extra soya milk to loosen.

Spiced koftas with honey & chickpeas

Method
STEP 1
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Using a pestle and morter, crush the fennel seeds. In a large bowl, combine the crushed seeds, lamb, ras el hanout and pine nuts, and season well. Divide the mixture into eight equal egg-shaped koftas.

STEP 2
Tip the chickpeas into an ovenproof dish, season to taste and put in the oven while you fry the koftas. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the koftas and gently fry for 5 mins, turning from time to time, until evenly browned. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.

STEP 3
Remove the chickpeas from the oven, add the koftas to the dish, then pour over the rest of the oil and the honey, and return to the oven for 15 mins.

STEP 4
In a bowl, combine the yogurt, tahini and lemon juice with 70-100ml water and season well. Serve the koftas and chickpeas topped with parsley and a good drizzle of the creamy dressing, with the lemon wedges on the side.

Homemade muesli with oats, dates & berries

Method
STEP 1
Tip the oats into a frying pan and heat gently, stirring frequently until they are just starting to toast. Add the pecans and seeds to warm briefly, then tip into a large bowl and toss so they cool quickly.

STEP 2
Add the dates and puffed wheat, mix well until thoroughly combined, then serve topped with the yogurt and fruit, and a sprinkling of cinnamon, if you like.

Paneer chutney pakora

Method
STEP 1
Blend the chutney ingredients with 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp sugar. Add 1-2 tbsp water if necessary – the chutney should be a smooth paste.

STEP 2
In a large bowl, mix the flour, chilli powder and turmeric with ½ tsp salt, and slowly pour in 110ml water. Whisk until you have a smooth consistency, like pancake batter.

STEP 3
Fill a deep pan halfway up with oil and heat to 170C, or until a drop of batter sizzles.

STEP 4
Cut the block of paneer in half horizontally, then cut the halves into fingers, roughly 1cm wide. Spread a paneer finger with some of the chutney, then place another finger on top to make a ‘sandwich’. Repeat until all of the paneer is used. Set aside any leftover chutney.

STEP 5
Carefully dip each ‘sandwich’ into the gram flour batter until covered, then fry in the hot oil for 2-4 mins until deep golden. Serve the pakoras with the leftover chutney.

Halwa

Method
STEP 1
Heat 250ml water in a pan until boiling, then stir in the sugar and food colouring, if using.

STEP 2
Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods and discard, then add 3 of the cardamom husks to the pan. Boil for several minutes, then transfer to a heatproof jug or bowl.

STEP 3
Heat the ghee in the same pan, then add the remaining cardamom husks and the pistachios. Fry for 1 min, then add the semolina. Toast for a few minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Return the hot sugar syrup to the pan, stirring continuously to avoid clumping until all the liquid has been absorbed. The cooked halwa should mould together easily. Scoop out the cardamom husks and serve hot with puris or parathas, if you like.

Egyptian egg salad

Method
STEP 1
Bring a pan of water to the boil, lower in the eggs and boil for 8 mins. Drain and run under the cold tap to cool them a little, then peel and halve. Meanwhile, mix 1 tbsp lemon juice and 3 tbsp water with the tahini to make a dressing.

STEP 2
Heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic for 5 mins to soften them. Add the ground cumin and seeds, stir briefly then add the beans and lightly crush some of them as you heat them, adding some of the juice from the can to get a nice creamy consistency but keeping whole beans, too. Taste and add lemon juice and just a little seasoning if you need to.

STEP 3
Spoon the beans on to plates with the lettuce, then add the eggs and tomatoes, with the tahini dressing, chilli and parsley, if using.

Aromatic lamb with dates

Method
STEP 1
Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and lamb, then quickly fry until the lamb is lightly browned.

STEP 2
Add the sweet potatoes and spices, then mix well. Pour in 425ml boiling water and the tomato purée, then bring to the boil.

STEP 3
Cover and simmer for 15 mins until sweet potatoes and lamb are tender, adding the dates for the final 10 mins. Sprinkle with coriander and serve with couscous.

Rotis (chapatis)

Method
STEP 1
Mix the flour, oil and ½ tsp fine sea salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually add enough cold water (about 120ml) to make a firm but not dry dough.

STEP 2
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead well for about 7–10 minutes, until smooth. Return the dough to a clean, dry bowl, cover with an upturned plate or cloth and leave to rest for 30 mins.

STEP 3
Knead in a little more chapati or plain flour if the dough looks sticky and then divide it into 12 evenly sized balls. Sprinkle each one with flour.

STEP 4
Heat a dry griddle on the stove over a medium heat. Put 3 tbsps of flour in a small bowl. Using the palms of your hands, flatten one of the dough balls into a circular disc and dip both sides in the flour. Now roll it with a circular motion to make a 12-14cm diameter circle with the thickness of a £1 coin. It can be easier to use a thin wooden rolling pin for this – the kind used for rolling out pasta.

STEP 5
Put the dough onto the hot griddle and cook for 1 minute, or until small air pockets start to form on its surface. Turn the chapati over with a palette knife or tongs and continue cooking for about a further 90 seconds, until the chapati picks up flecks of colour.

STEP 6
Carefully press the bread with a clean cloth as it cooks on the griddle – the chapati should swell up with hot air. Keep turning the bread as it cooks. These rotis are best served straight away with dollop of butter or ghee in the middle, but you can also wrap them in foil and bring the package to the table.

Kebab pilaf with spiced carrots

Method
STEP 1
Put the oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 10 mins until soft and translucent. Add the carrots, garlic and spices, and stir until everything is thoroughly coated and the spices are starting to sizzle. Add the vegan kebab protein, breaking it apart gently, and fry for a couple of minutes until crisping at the edges, about 3-4 minutes.

STEP 2
Stir in the rice and raisins and shake the pan so everything flattens out. Crumble the stock cube into the pan and add enough just-boiled water to come 1cm above the level of the rice. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and lower the heat. Cook for 10-12 mins or until the rice is tender and the stock absorbed.

STEP 3
Stir in the spinach and season. Cover for a minute and then scatter with coriander and flaked almonds.

Vegetarian lasagne

Method
STEP 1
To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add the onions, garlic and carrot. Cook for 5-7 mins over a medium heat until softened. Turn up the heat a little and stir in the tomato purée. Cook for 1 min, pour in the white wine, then cook for 5 mins until this has reduced by two-thirds. Pour over the chopped tomatoes and add the basil leaves. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 mins. Leave to cool then whizz in a food processor. Will keep, cooled, in the fridge for up to three days or frozen for three months.

STEP 2
To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the plain flour, then cook for 2 mins. Slowly whisk in the milk, then bring to the boil, stirring. Turn down the heat, then cook until the sauce starts to thicken and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Will keep, cooled, in the fridge for up to three days or frozen for three months.

STEP 3
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Lightly oil two large baking trays and add the peppers and aubergines. Toss with the olive oil, season well, then roast for 25 mins until lightly browned.

STEP 4
Reduce the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly oil a 30 x 20cm ovenproof dish. Arrange a layer of the vegetables on the bottom, then pour over a third of the tomato sauce. Top with a layer of lasagne sheets, then drizzle over a quarter of the white sauce. Repeat until you have three layers of pasta.

STEP 5
Spoon the remaining white sauce over the pasta, making sure the whole surface is covered, then scatter over the mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. Bake for 45 mins until bubbling and golden.

There isn’t really a bad time to visit Spain’s Costa Cálida (the “Warm Coast”). But balmy, sunny May, with average highs of around 25°C (77°F), is a good time to get a real flavor of the place before summer crowds arrive. And the flavors are exceptional: surrounded by hills, vineyards, olive groves, fertile gardens and rich seas, the region is renowned for its quality meats, fruit, vegetables and fish.

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