Baked Vegetable Stew

I was very happy to hear about this month´s Weekend Cookbook Challenge theme - Vegging Out! for it gave me a perfect opportunity to present the latest item in my cookbook collection - Vegan by Tony Weston and Yvonne Bishop (with their own blog!).

After gorging out at every meal occasion in London two weeks ago, me and Tompa simply could not think clearly any more. Our celebratory New Year´s trip turned into a feast quest. Brick Lane, Oxford Street, Baker´s, China town... how can you just pass by all those wonderful smells of fresh bakery, curry sauces and noodle soups?

It was not only until on one of our last days in The Chubby Camp, we ran into a little tiny corner eat out - vegan, organic, happy looking. Bamboo interior, earthen jugs and pots were yelling for attention. Since we both used to eat "those" things (and I do not mean earthen pots or bamboo interiors) in our separate pasts, we agreed to fill up on a bit of nostalgia and some "earthen stew".
An interesting menu consisted of large "scooped plates". After some mathematics, we decided to share a "5 scoop plate". Huge jars filled with curries and stews appeared in front of us with friendly explanations. Out of probably 15, we scooped out "Japanese Seaweed Stew, Mexican Bean Chilli, Mushroom Stroganoff, Chickpea Curry and Moong Dal".
Splashy scoops were socializing with each other as we carried the plate to find our tiny table with even tinier wooden stumps to sit on. Two spoons on side, our apetites ready, we dug in.
Maaaaan, was that the best and most diverse vegan food we ever got (outside our kitchen,... ehm.. excuse my shameless self-promotion ;-)... It was then, when Tompa proclaimed: "Honey, I could totally eat like this again".... And it was then, when I pleased him: "Ohhh... But let us do it, then." So we went to the store and bought the book from which I now get all my daily dinner inspirations.
We decided to go pure vegan for a month. It has been two weeks now and I feel like am back on the top of the hill (and gossip - I lost 2 kilos)...

Here is one successful sample from last night adapted from "The Book":

BAKED VEGETABLE STEW:

prep time: 50 minutes
serve: 3 people

• 2 small potatoes
• 25 g dried mushroom (I used wood ear)
• 125 g small lentils (I used Puy lentils)
• 600 ml vegetable broth
• 125 g mushroom (I used champignons)
• 1 red onion
• 1 carrot
• 120 g frozen peas (I used green beans instead)
• 125 g cabbage (I used Chinese cabbage)
• 2 heaped tsp cornflour
• 2 tsp carob powder
• 2 tsp vegan bouillon powder
• 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
• 1 tsp yeast extract (or flakes)
  
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce (mixed with 1 tsp of chili flakes)
  
• 125 ml sherry (I used dry red wine)

Prepare the vegetables: chop the potatoes, break the dried mushroom into pieces, slice the onion, chop the carrot and the cabbage and finally, slice the fresh mushroom.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (350F).

Place the potatoes, dried mushrooms and the lentils into a bigger pot, pour in the veggie broth and 200 ml water. Bring to boil and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Meantime, mix together the cornflour, bouillon powder, yeast flakes and carob and slowly mix in the molasses, tomato sauce and finally, the wine.
Pour this mixture slowly into the veggie pot and stir until the stew thickens.

Transfer the stew into a baking dish and bake for another 30 minutes. Garnish with a handful of fresh chopped parsley leaves and serve warm.