Our zero waste weekend begins
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Good morning lovely people; I hope you are well today. I’m enjoying having the house to myself before everyone else gets up. Even the cat has gone back to bed after waking me at silly o’clock.
We’re looking forward to our zero waste weekend. As you know, I don’t normally write on Saturdays, but I’ll be doing a couple of updates just for our special week of celebrations.
I’m not foreseeing any problems. Mr Green and I managed to get some weekend supplies in our local shops with no problems. Little Miss Green has suddenly developed a coleslaw craving though, and I have to admit that this is usually a place in which I buy something in a small plastic pot that gets thrown in the bin. Although in recent times I kept them for refilling, so I suppose I could have given in to convenience.
Yes I know coleslaw is one of the simplest things to make and costs a fraction of the price, but here’s the deal; I just don’t enjoy grating. I usually end up grating a knuckle or two and grating in a food processor is just such a faff when it comes to cleaning everything afterwards.
However, I shall rise to the occasion, watch my fingers near the edge of the grater rather than get distracted by the cat reaching up the cupboard for a lick of mayonnaise and see what I can do.
Mr Green wants a big celebratory Sunday lunch to finish off our week, and I’ve got some plans for a zero waste pudding; nothing like his creation yesterday, you’ll be relieved to hear. This one will look much more appetising if things go according to plan.
Last night I excelled myself in the kitchen with the hundredth curry this week for Mr Green. Have you known a person with a curry appetite like he has? As any naan or poppadums fan will know, getting those in recyclable wrap or purchasing naked is pretty near impossible. I didn’t think about trying to make my own until around 5pm, so I needed to try something without yeast.
I came across a recipe for parathas; which is a flatbread made from wholewheat flour and they were amazingly good! I didn’t think to stuff them, which I learned afterwards you can do – I sprinkled ground coriander into the mix and he ate them as an accompaniment to his meal. Little Miss Green tried one and gave it a 10 1/2 out of 12.
Her favourite number is three, and any multiples thereof, which is why scores are given out of 12 in her world. Plain boiled rice got a 12 – go figure……….
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Looks lovely.
Care to give the recipe please as I like making curries and find the same problem with Naan.
I must admit I do make coleslaw in the processor but have found if you put it into soak fairly quickly afterwards (straight way) then it is easier to clean, don’t worry about doing inbetween different veggies.Just need to look at making the mayo to go with it rather than buying.
This recipe makes 6 parathas (from Indian Vegetarian Cooking by Louise Steele)
3oz plain wholemeal flour
3oz plain white flour
good pinch of salt
1 tbsp oil or ghee
3 fl oz tepid water
Combine flours and salt in a bowl and drizzle over the oil.
Add the water and mix to form a soft dough (I needed to add a lot more water than the recipe said)
Knead until smooth, cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Knead again on a floured surface and divide into 6 pieces.
Shape each one into a ball and then roll out to a 6 inch round.
Brush very lightly with more oil or ghee.
Fold in half and then half again until you get a small triangle.
Roll out to form a 7 inch triangle from the tip
Brush a large frying pan with a little oil and heat until hot, then add the parathas. Cook until brown, flip and cook the other side.
Enjoy!
Hi Mrs Green,
Ghee and Indian cooking go together. I knew a couple of Indian co-workers. They were total veggies and ate at work. The food was excellent. Doing that type of cooking is a step too far for me but I would recommend it to veggies.
Hi again Mrs Green,
The all-steel razor has finally arrived and provided a good shave. It should be perfectly safe to use after a cautious beginning.
There is still plastic involved – small hard plastic containers of 5 blades, each container with cellophane seal. It is an improvement however and I will contact the seller, on ebay, to ask about plastic free blade sales.
Good job on the homemade flatbread, Mrs. Green! I made some naan a couple of weeks ago and they was pretty good. They were a tad tough, though, so I need to work on that.
John, I’m very fortunate that my best friend for most of my teenage years was Asian and I used to spend hours at her house in the kitchen with her Mother. I remember having my hands painted with henna on the day of her wedding, which was awesome and learning how to cook perfect onion pakoras!
Glad the razor has arrived; it seems then that first impressions are favourable.
Thanks Kristen; good to see you. What do you think made the naan tough?
Hi Mrs Green,
That explains it. Onion pakoras are excellent. I did not find one dish that the 2 guys made anything other than delicious.
The razor is a different size to old-style. it is about half the size, like modern plastic based types. I was still careful this morning but was not even close to a nick compared to my previous type. When both sides of the blade are blunt, it will be fully recyclable though not in the kerbside bin. A better choice is the council metal skip.
>When both sides of the blade are blunt, it will be fully recyclable though not in the kerbside bin. A better choice is the council metal skip.<
Even better idea, would be to find someone with a grinder who could resharpen them for you 🙂
Hi Poppy,
That’s a thought. They are disposable blades and any way to extend their life is a saver.
These could also replace ladies’ disposable razors, though not totally plastic waste free.
Hi John – you’re right, there is nothing Asian in the food stakes that tastes anything other than delicious. They certainly have cooking down to a fine art.
Glad to hear the razor is going well and great idea from Poppy to extend the life 🙂