GREEN FRIED RICE

The countdown to Christmas has begun. London is decorated and all sparkly and the tree will soon be up. This is the first year that I've made some effort to have an advent calendar, it is something we don't have in the Christian Orthodox tradition. It is completely commercialised in the West, you can get it anywhere and they usually hide chocolate treats behind 24 windows. 

I have made one for Luka this year using Ikea's grey cabinet as a backdrop, tree branches are traced with Donna Wilson's Bird tape and presents will fit into small brown envelopes that have stamped dates on them.  The whole cabinet has all of a sudden become a play object, although Luka is still too small to notice there is a little surprise every day awaiting him. He'll get bouncy balls and dehydrated fruit instead of chocolate and can play with bubbles and wind-up cars. Nothing big, just symbolic. It's so easy to transform Christmas into consumer megalomania.

For cold winter nights when we need something to warm us up and keep our tummies satisfied for longer, we'll cook meals like this green fried rice. It is delicious and vegan and is quickly prepared if you have some leftover rice. Start by soaking coconut with saffron and cardamom.

Coconut with saffron and cardamom

The aim is to hydrate desiccated coconut so it's not crunchy, but also to mix it with rich flavours of saffron and cardamom.

Seeds of 3 green cardamoms

Around 6 threads of saffron

3 tbsp. desiccated coconut

Around half a cup of water

Soak and mix all the ingredients and leave aside half an hour to an hour. Mix it occasionally so that the colour and aroma of saffron spreads evenly.  

Ingredients:

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic

Half a thumb of ginger

2 spring onions (if you can find them)

Handful of fresh coriander with stalks

Cup of baby spinach

Cup of cooked edamame (or peas)

2 cups of cooked short grain brown rice

1/2 cup of roast cashews

Lemon

2-3 tbsp. coconut oil or sesame oil

Blend onion, garlic, ginger, spring onion and coriander adding liquid coconut oil to mince everything evenly. Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil and slowly fry the mix. Add salt to taste or very little if children will eat it, too. After 10 minutes increase the flame and add baby spinach, stir couple of minutes finally adding rice and edamame. Don't turn the flame down, just stir-fry. At the end add coconut mixture, grate lemon zest and mix everything thoroughly, frying for a few minutes. Turn the flame off and juice half a lemon over it. Serve warm, sprinkled with roast cashews.