WOTVM's food adventures in London - Part 1

We recently spent three days down in London; we love going to London to stroll around and take in the atmosphere and it cannot be denied that our capital has one of the best food scenes in the world.  There is great food, of all kinds, to be found and we thought we would share our experiences with you in a three part blog, one for each day of our stay.

Day one in London began at lunchtime as we waited to check into our hotel on Brick Lane.  We decided to grab some Mexican street food from Chilango by Spitalfields Market.  Chilango are a small but successful expanding London chain and they offer a range of fresh and tasty Mexican classics, such as burritos and nachos, but the menu basically boils down to choosing your meat/veg option and then deciding on the accompaniments. 

WOTVM opted for a Nudo, this consisted of a rice box topped with your choice of meat/veg (she chose chicken), black beans, salsa (mild, medium or hot), cheese, sour cream, salad and guacamole (for an additional £1.30). You are asked what toppings you would like as the dish is assembled in front of you so it's entirely your choice. WOTVM has visited Chilango a few times before and was keen to come back for good reason - the chicken was charred, juicy and full of flavour and the accompanying salad, cheese and beans combined to become a tasty and filling lunch. She opted for the extra guacamole and was pleased to see it was a generous portion, zesty and creamy and well worth the additional charge.

Mr Vegan Man opted for tacos - not the crispy, slightly dry shells you buy from the supermarket, but fresh mini tortillas individually filled with your choice of toppings to give you a hand-sized snack.  The portion size was very generous, each tortilla was filled to bursting with grilled peppers, black beans, salsa and guacamole.  Mr Vegan Man was pleased to be able to dodge the cheese and sour cream and found the flavours in the tacos to be fresh and zingy, with a nice rich smokiness from the black beans too.  The hot salsa had a nice kick but was not too fiery, but with additional hot sauce stationed at the table it's possible to give your lunch a bit more pep.  The habanero sauce was great, peppery and full of spice.

During the afternoon we took a trip to Greenwich on the river bus, partly because it was sunny and Greenwich is lovely in the sunshine, and partly in the hope of finding some delicious gelato at Black Vanilla.  WOTVM has been there previously but, alas, it appears to have closed down.  If anyone knows if this is permanent or whether they have moved to alternative premises, please do let us know.

Having anticipated that our lunch would be reasonably light, the generous helpings on offer at Chilango ended up leaving us feeling suitably full until almost 9pm.  However, being on Brick Lane we were close to a number of restaurants.  Although Brick Lane is traditionally known for its Indian cuisine, many Londoners will tell you that the fare on offer is fairly standard and not much to write home about.  Just a ten minute walk from Brick Lane, though, is Dishoom in Shoreditch.  Dishoom have three branches across the capital, all of them being a take on Iranian-inspired Bombay cafes.  The food, then, is Indian but with a Persian influence, very far removed from your run of the mill Indian restaurant.  We have been here for breakfast on a previous trip to London and it was superb - the bottomless chai was a particular highlight - so we decided to give it a try for an evening meal.

You cannot book a table at Dishoom and even though it was fairly late when we turned up there were no tables available. We were given a pager and wandered off to have a pre-dinner drink in a pub around the corner with the promise of a table within 30 mins. Sure enough the buzzer went in around 20 minutes so we downed our drinks and headed back. After our unintentionally large lunch and not wanting to over-order, WOTVM asked our waiter for guidance on what would be a good amount of food for two to share and he was happy to help us out. The menu is split into salads, small plates, mains and sides. We decided it would be easier to share all our dishes (the tables seem to be set up with this in mind with two plates stacked on the table rather than formal individual place settings) and WOTVM was happy to forgo some chicken to be tempted by tikka marinated paneer. In addition to the paneer we went for the black house dahl, kachumber, chole bhatura - which was served with a puri bread - and basmati rice.

Our drinks, a large Kingfisher and a Bollybellini, arrived quickly and the food followed shortly afterwards.  The Bollybellini was quite a treat, beautifully flavoured with rose, raspberries, lychees and cardamom.

The chole bhatura, a chickpea curry, had a real depth of flavour and was excellently spiced.  The background heat was not overpowering but built up layers of warmth in the mouth the more we ate; the spicing definitely leant more towards aromatic as opposed to outright hot, with the fresh ginger on top adding a real pop of flavour and a nice kick.  There was a further garnish of whole chilli peppers, which packed a cracking punch if eaten on their own, but when dispersed through the dish they added an extra layer of heat.  The dish was not at all oily and despite the deep flavours it did not feel especially heavy, which was perfect given how full we both felt.  Mr Vegan Man has eaten many vegetable curry dishes and this was up there with the very best and we both agreed it was the standout dish. 

The dhal was completely unique; it had a slightly masala type quality to it, with a hint of smokiness.  Really tasty! 

The paneer was lightly spiced and nicely grilled to add a very light crispness to the outside.  It came with grilled peppers which added a sweetness and crunch alongside the mild, chewy paneer.  It worked really well with the more richly flavoured dhal and chickpeas.  The puri was beautifully crispy and an excellent vehicle for the chole bhatura and black dhal, whilst the rice was light and fluffy and perfectly cooked. 

The kachumber - a salad of cucumber tomato and onion - was really fresh and added a cooling, cleansing dimension to the meal.  A selection of chutneys was also provided and each of these was delicious.  The green coriander relish was particularly good, although the smooth mango chutney, with a hint of almost piccalilli flavour, was great too.  The bhaji sauce - it must have a proper name, but this is what we call it - was sweet and worked nicely with the other sauces.

Dishoom, it must be said, are nailing it in every way.  The food is very different and incredibly tasty, with a menu that is great for vegetarians and perfect for sharing.  It is always busy so has a great buzz, but despite being busy the service felt personal and friendly, with the waiters more than happy to offer any suggestions or explanations relating to the menu.  The décor is quirky and fun with a touch of faded opulence to recreate the heyday of the Bombay café.  It takes confidence as a restaurant to not take bookings (other than for tables of 6 or over), but Dishoom have every reason to be confident when they are turning out quality food quickly and with great service.  And at £50 for food, drinks and service, it is very reasonably-priced too. 

If you are visiting London make sure you drop in to Dishoom at any time of day - they are open from breakfast through to late evening - and you will not be disappointed.  For more info, including the menu, visit their website here.

Part two of our London adventures will be coming later this week!

The great vegan burger off

We were watching Saturday Kitchen yesterday morning, as we often like to do of a weekend, when Annabel Langbein - who was a guest chef on the show this week - made mayonnaise using water from a can of chick peas.  After getting over the initial shock of our minds being literally blown, we decided that we should have a stab at making some vegan mayo ourselves.  From this starting point morphed the idea of using the chickpeas as part of the dish so as not to cause any waste, and from there WOTVM had the bright idea that we should each make a vegan, chickpea-based burger to act as a vehicle for our mayonnaise.

Thus was our great vegan burger off born and the trash-talking commenced.  WOTVM tried her best to maintain a veil of secrecy as we walked around Sainsbury's, refusing to be drawn on whether particular ingredients would form a part of her burger offering.  Mr Vegan Man tried to pretend that he wasn't really sure what he'd be putting in his patty, looking to lull WOTVM into a false sense of security.

And so each of us spent time in the kitchen this afternoon, furiously chopping, mixing, blitzing and cooking our way to our entries in the battle of the burgers.  Mr Vegan Man plumped for Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours, whilst WOTVM went for an Indian-inspired burger.

As we sat down to taste the burgers the tension in the air was palpable.  We took our first bites, followed quickly by our second, third and fourth bites.  Neither of us said anything for some minutes, the silence only broken by chewing noises and the occasional 'Mmmmmm' sound.  Eventually, we both spoke to acknowledge that both of the burgers were very tasty and that this would not be an easy decision.  Silence followed as the seriousness of our judging task sat heavily on our shoulders.

As we reached the last few bites, WOTVM opined that she felt that her patty was a little better but that she preferred Mr Vegan Man's aioli.  Mr Vegan Man thought for a moment and agreed with this assessment.  WOTVM then said that overall she preferred Mr Vegan Man's burger; she felt that it was better seasoned.  Mr Vegan Man disagreed and said that WOTVM's offering packed in some big flavours and, on balance, he slightly preferred it to his own.

The end result - a hard-fought draw!  There really was nothing to choose between the two burgers; WOTVM's effort was an original take on some classic Indian flavours and really delivered the aromatic heat that you expect from Indian food.  A shout out to Candi's Chutney once again as the spiced carrot chutney went brilliantly, adding sweetness, heat and bite to the finished burger.  Mr Vegan Man's effort was inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavours and managed to balance light freshness with a good kick of garlic in the aioli and chilli in the burger, along with a nice hit of mustard heat from the Jubberwacky wholegrain mustard.

Give them a try for yourself - the recipes are below - and let us know which one you prefer by commenting below or by sending us an email.  We'd also love to know how you get on with the vegan mayonnaise - we really enjoyed making it and watching it emulsify is very satisfying!  It's rich and tasty and everything you'd expect from a mayo but without the need for egg, making it great for pregnant ladies and anyone with an egg intolerance as well as vegans.  It keeps well in the fridge, so don't worry about your leftovers going to waste.

Mr Vegan Man's chick pea burger (makes three patties)

400g can of chick peas
1 medium sized carrot
1 small beetroot
5 cocktail gherkins
2 spring onions
Half a red chilli
5-6 sprigs of flat leaf parsley
2 sprigs of fresh mint
1.5 tsp cumin
1.5 tsp coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika

Mr Vegan Man's caper and tahini aioli (makes a lot of aioli)

Juice from one 400g can of chick peas
4 cloves of garlic
0.5 tbsp tahini
Half a lemon
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
350ml oil
3 tsp capers

To serve Mr Vegan Man's burger

Ciabatta rolls
Avocado (half an avocado for two burgers)
Jarred roasted red pepper (one pepper per two burgers)
Pea shoots

Preparation and cooking time 45 minutes

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C and place three of the cloves of garlic (skin on) in a roasting tin, coating with a little olive oil.  Put them in the over for 15-20 minutes so that the garlic can roast and soften.

Whilst the garlic is roasting, prepare the ingredients for the burger patties.  Finely grate the carrot and beetroot, Mr Vegan Man used cooked beetroot and then squeezed out the excess moisture but raw beetroot would work too and would add some crunch.  Chop the spring onions, gherkins, mint, parsley and chilli and place in a bowl along with the grated carrot and beetroot.

Remove the garlic from the oven when it is cooked and is a light golden brown colour.  Drain your chick peas over a bowl and set aside the liquid for making the aioli.  Mash up the chick peas with a fork in a separate bowl, leaving some of the chick peas chunky and fairly intact but with the rest making a kind of loose paste.

Combine the mashed chick peas with the chopped and grated vegetables and herbs and mix together with a fork until all of the ingredients are combined.  This should make a mixture that you can easily form into patties, however if it looks or feels a little too loose then mix through some breadcrumbs to help hold the mix together.

Divide the mixture into three equal portions and use your hands to form them into a burger shape.  Place on a plate dusted with flour and then coat the top of the patties lightly in flour too.  This will help them to crisp up whilst cooking.

To your chick pea water, add the lemon juice, tahini, capers and the three roasted cloves of garlic (de-skinned) and the remaining raw clove - the reason for this is that the roasted garlic will have a nice, mild flavour and the raw clove will add a little bit of heat and punch.  Pour in the 350ml of oil - Mr Vegan Man used 100ml of olive oil and 250ml of vegetable oil - and blitz using a hand blender.  The ingredients should magically emulsify into a creamy aioli.  The quantities used made a quite loose mayo, adding more oil will make it thicker if you so wish.

Chop your avocado into thin slices and cut the roasted red pepper into strips.  Heat a small frying pan over a medium to high heat and then add enough vegetable or sunflower oil so that the base of the pan is completely coated with a couple of millimetres of oil.  Allow the oil to get nice and hot then place the burgers in the pan.

The burgers will need 5-7 minutes on each side to get a crispy top and to cook through.  Whilst the burgers are cooking, place your ciabatta rolls in the oven for 8-10 minutes to crisp up and cook through.

Once the burgers are cooked, remove them from the pan and place them on some kitchen towel to drain off the excess oil.

Cut your ciabatta rolls open and then construct your burger, adding the avocado, then the burger, then a good dollop of the aioli followed by the pepper and pea shoots.


WOTVM's aromatic spiced chick pea burger (makes five patties)

400g can of chick peas
1 large baked potato (bake in the oven for 1.5 to 2 hours and allow to cool completely)
100g pack of baby spinach
1 green cardamom pod
1tsp cumin seeds
0.5 tsp dried chilli flakes
1tsp nigella seeds
0.5tsp turmeric
1tsp garam masala
50g panko breadcrumbs (or regular dried breadcrumbs)
50g plain flour

WOTVM's chip shop curry sauce mayonnaise (makes a lot of mayo)

Juice from one 400g can of chick peas
100ml olive oil
250ml vegetable oil
Half a lemon
2tbsp fresh coriander chopped
1tbsp mild curry powder
1tsp chilli powder

To serve WOTVM's burger

Flatbreads (or mini naan breads)
1 clove garlic
Chopped tomatoes
Red onion, finely sliced
Red chilli, finely sliced
Pea shoots
Candi's Chutney spiced carrot chutney

Preparation and cooking time 45 minutes (excluding time taken to bake and cool potato)

Start by spooning out the fluffy part of the cooked potato into a large bowl. Drain the chickpeas and add to the same bowl. Bash the cardamom pod to loosen the seeds. Tip them into another small bowl along with the cumin seeds and chilli flakes. If you own a pestle and mortar use this to gently grind down the spices. If you don't, improvise with the end of a rolling pin as I did! Tip the ground spices in with the chickpeas and potato.

Steam the spinach to wilt it down, this will only take a couple of minutes over boiling water. Leave to cool before squeezing out as much moisture as possible. Chop roughly and add to the burger mix, it's a bit like a Saag Aloo burger! Use a hand blender to blitz until relatively smooth, but leaving a few whole chickpeas here and there for texture. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

The mixture will be quite wet so add the breadcrumbs and flour to bring together. Lightly flour a plate and your hands before forming into 5 patties. Place on the floured plate, cover with cling film and put in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

To make the mayonnaise, add the oil and lemon juice to the chickpea water and blitz using the hand blender until thickened. Stir in the coriander, curry powder, chilli powder and season.

To cook the burgers, fill a frying pan with enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Bring the oil up to a medium high heat and then carefully place the burgers in the pan. They will take around 5-6 minutes on each side, turn the heat down if they are starting to get too brown. They will be crispy and golden brown on the outside when finished. Place the cooked burgers on some kitchen towel when cooked to drain off the excess oil.

To prepare your flat breads crush a garlic clove and rub all over the flat bread (you can also rub some of the coriander over it too). Warm up in a toaster or under the grill for a few minutes.

To assemble the burger dollop some mayo on the flatbread and place the burger on top. Slices of red onion and tomato goes next, then some coriander leaves and sliced chilli. Finally finish with some more mayo and a teaspoon of spiced carrot chutney. With the toppings I was trying to evoke memories of the condiments you get with poppadums at most Indian restaurants, such as mango chutney and onion salad. I think it works well with the burger.