pitta breads
Wash the salad ingredients then tear the lettuce, dice the cucumber, slice the tomatoes, chop the spring onions and put them into a bowl. Add the olives, oil, vinegar and a grinding of pepper.
Cut the feta into cubes and mix it with the other ingredients, then add the fresh mint or oregano and a little salt if necessary.
Warm the pitta breads through under the grill, then cut them lengthwise in half, gently open up each half and fill with the feta mixture.
SERVES 2
COUSCOUS, TOMATO AND MINT
You could use bulgur wheat instead of couscous for a change: prepare it in the same way.
125g / 4oz couscous
50g / 2oz raisins (optional)
2 spring onions
4 tomatoes
2 pitta breads
juice of 1 lemon
4 tbls chopped fresh mint
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the couscous and the raisins, if you are using them, into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave on one side for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, trim and chop the spring onions, chop the tomatoes and warm the pitta breads under the grill.
Drain the couscous and mix with the spring onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, mint and salt and pepper to taste.
Split the pitta breads lengthwise in half, gently open each half and fill with the couscous mixture.
SERVES 2
RED BEAN AND SWEETCORN
2 tbls olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 × 200g / 7oz can tomatoes
1 × 200g / 7oz can sweetcorn, drained
1 × 225g / 8oz can red kidney beans, drained
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pitta breads
Heat the oil in a pan, put in the onion and pepper, cover and cook gently for 10 minutes, or until they are getting tender.
Mash in the tomatoes with their juice, cover and cook for a further 10 minutes, then add the sweetcorn and kidney beans. Cook gently for a few more minutes until hot. Season with salt and pepper.
Warm the pitta breads under the grill, then cut them lengthwise in half, gently open up each half, fill with the red bean mixture and serve at once.
SERVES 2
CHEESE AND CARROT VINAIGRETTE
2 carrots (about 225g / 8oz)
125g / 4oz Cheddar cheese
4 spring onions
2 tbls olive oil
2 tsp wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pitta breads
Scrape or peel the carrots then coarsely grate the carrots and cheese into a bowl. Trim and slice the spring onions and add them to the bowl, together with the oil, vinegar and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Mix well.
Warm the pitta breads under the grill, then cut them lengthwise in halt, gently open up each half, fill with the carrot mixture and serve at once.
SERVES 2
(top) Poppadums with Avocado and Curried Mayonnaise and (bottom) Pitta Pockets with (left) Cheese and Carrot Vinaigrette and (right) Red Bean and Sweetcorn
TORTILLAS & POPPADUMS
TORTILLA SALAD ROLLS
The tortillas that you can now buy make a goof fast-food snack, warmed through, filled with through, filled with tasty ingredients and then rolled up. They can be eaten immediately or topped with grated cheese and put under a hot grill to melt the cheese. The remaining tortillas will keep well in a polythene bag in the freezer.
2 tortillas
6–8 iceberg lettuce leaves
2 tomatoes
small piece of cucumber
2 spring onions
4 tbls mayonnaise, soured cream, yogurt or a mixture
hot chilli sauce such as Tabasco
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the tortillas into a Irving pan over a moderate heat, one at a time, to warm through, or heat them under the grill.
Shred the lettuce leaves and chop the tomatoes, cucumber and spring onions. Mix with the mayonnaise, soured cream or yogurt then add a dash of hot chilli sauce and some salt and pepper to taste.
Spread the salad mixture on to the warm tortillas, roll them up firmly and serve at once.
SERVES 2
POPPADUMS WITH AVOCADO AND CURRIED MAYONNAISE
2 tsp curry powder
2
