As January is slow cooker month, we’re sharing some tasty slow cooker recipes which were created for FareShare Greater Manchester by the Manchester United Foundation’s chefs. Slow cookers are a great way to produce low-cost tasty meals using left overs and are very cheap to run. This slow cooker lentil dahl recipe will also work for Veganuary!

Slow Cooker Lentil Dahl

Serves 4 portions

Cooking time: 6 hours on a high heat

Ingredients:

• 200g yellow lentils (soak these in cold water overnight)
• 200g green lentils (soak these in cold water overnight)
• 1 large onion (finely sliced)
• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes (2 x 400g)
• 1 inch fresh ginger (minced)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 20ml vegetable oil or 20g butter
• 1 fresh green or red chilli
• 2 tsps tomato puree
• 450ml water
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of cracked black pepper

Spices

• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds

Method:

• Heat the spices in a dry frying pan for 2-3 minutes on a low heat.
• Grind the spices in a pestle and mortar or wrap them in a clean cloth and crush with a rolling pin or heavy pot until they turn into a powder. Keep aside until the end.
• Melt the butter or heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger and chilli to the pan.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft and the smell of garlic and ginger fill the air.
• Pour the contents of the pan into the slow cooker and add the remainder of the ingredients (except spices, salt & pepper).
• Stir well and cook for 5 ½ hours on a high heat.
• Add the spices to your Dahl and stir well, taste and add salt & pepper as required.
• Serve with a wedge of lemon and naan or roti bread.

This recipe contains ALLERGENS. Please check all ingredient lists carefully if you need to avoid allergens in your food, including all food labels.

As January is slow cooker month, we’re sharing some tasty slow cooker recipes which were created for FareShare Greater Manchester by the Manchester United Foundation‘s chefs. Slow cookers are a great way to produce low-cost tasty meals using left overs and are very cheap to run.

This week’s cauliflower chickpea curry recipe will also come in handy for anyone participating in Veganuary!

Cauliflower & Chickpea Curry with Cauliflower Bhajis

Serves 4 portions

Cooking time: 4-4 ½ hours on a high heat

A small amount of frying is required for this dish before it goes into the slow cooker.

Ingredients for the curry:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion (diced)
• 2 large carrots (diced)
• 1 large potato (chopped)
• 1 large cauliflower (washed and cut into medium florets, save the stalk and leaves)
• 2 tbsp of curry powder (hot)
• 1 fresh chilli (thinly sliced)
• Small bunch of coriander (roughly chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 inch fresh ginger (peeled & minced). Alternatively, you could use 1 level tsp of ground ginger
• 1 tin coconut milk (400ml)
• 400ml water
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1 tin chickpeas (400g drained)
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of white pepper

Method:

• Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan on a medium heat.
• Fry the cauliflower florets until light, golden brown in colour. Remove from the heat and place in the slow cooker.
• Heat the remaining oil and fry the diced onion, carrot & potato for 1 minute. Add the garlic, chilli and curry powder and cook for a further 1 – 2 minutes. This will start to fill your kitchen with a lovely fragrance!
• Transfer the contents of the frying pan into the slow cooker and add the coconut milk and chickpeas along with the stock cube and water. Mix well and cook on a high heat for 4.5 hours.
• Once the time has passed, stir well and taste. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to season if required. Sprinkle in the chopped coriander.
• Serve with boiled or microwave rice and naan/flatbread.

Bhajis (made from the cauliflower trimmings)

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower trimmings
• 1 small onion (thinly sliced)
• 1 tbsp gram flour
• 1 tsp curry powder
• A splash of water (just enough to bring it all together – sticky, not wet)
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying

Method:

• Mix all the dry ingredients together and add just enough water to bind it all together to form a sticky batter mix.
• Shallow fry in the frying pan for 2-3 minutes on each side until crispy.

This slow cooker chickpea curry recipe contains ALLERGENS. Please check all ingredients lists carefully if you need to avoid allergens in your food, including all food labels.

Did you know that January is slow cooker month? Slow cookers are a great way to produce low-cost tasty meals using left overs and are very cheap to run.

All this month, we’ll be sharing some tasty slow cooker recipes which were created for FareShare Greater Manchester by the Manchester United Foundation’s chefs.

Slow Cooker Pasta Bolognese

Serves 4-5 portions

Cooking time: 6-6½ hours on a high heat

This dish requires a little cooking before it goes into the slow cooker.

Ingredients:

For the Bolognese

• 400g mince (beef, turkey, veggie or pork) [Tip: this dish is usually made with a mix of minced beef & pork, but any will do]
• 1 large onion (diced)
• 3 large carrots (diced)
• ½ tsp of dried Italian mixed herbs
• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes (2 x 400g)
• 1 stock cube (beef, chicken or vegetable)
• 50ml water
• 3 tsp red wine vinegar (optional)
• 1 tbsp tomato puree (40g)
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of pepper
• Pinch of sugar

For the pasta

• 320g Penne pasta
• 300ml water

Method:

• Wash, peel and dice the carrots and onions into small cubes (alternatively if you have a blender, blitz them with a little water; tomato puree, herbs, salt, pepper, sugar – to a pulp).
• Heat a large pot on the stove and add in the minced meat. Using a wooden spoon, break up the meat into small pieces and fry until it is brown in colour (if using vegetarian mince, this does not require browning).
• Add the carrot, onion, tomato puree and fry until soft.
• Once cooked, mix all of the ingredients together and place in the slow cooker. Stir well, pop the lid on and cook for 5 hours on a high heat.
• Lift the lid, stir the sauce and add the penne pasta (uncooked) with 300 ml of water. Stir well, replace the lid and cook for a further 1 hour.
• After that time, lift the lid, stir the sauce and check the pasta is cooked. Taste to check the seasoning and consistency of the sauce. If it’s too wet, leave the lid off and cook for a further 10 minutes.
• Serve with garlic bread and grated parmesan (optional).

This slow cooker bolognese recipe contains ALLERGENS. Please check all ingredients lists carefully if you need to avoid allergens in your food, including all food labels.