By ELLE food bloggers Laura Jackson & Alice Levine
We hold our hands up, when it comes to our weekly food purchases staples, we are a bit fickle. Only 3 or 4 years ago we wouldn't have put harissa paste, za'tar or even humble kale in our bag. But food is as susceptible to trends and fads as fashion is, and we get rather excited by new discoveries.
One ingredient that was not on our food map - and now we can't cook without - is coconut oil. We've tried them all, the one that comes in a huge tub from hair salon supply store Pax (yes, the one shelved next to the hair extensions), the supermarket stuff and the health food shop brands too.
However the creme de la coco for us has to be Jax Coco. A non-heat treated, organic virgin coconut oil, grown on their own plantation in the Phillipines, assuring the finest quality of young coconuts and Fair Trade standards. Healthy, delicious, ethical...what else could you want from such a wonder product? Well we're quite greedy so we wanted to be scrubbed and massaged with it to, but you can't win them all...And no this isn't a weird ritual behind closed doors at J&L HQ (promise!), but actually a rather relaxing treatment at the Bvlgari Spa that left us as silky as seals. (I mean, how inviting is the reception before we've even started on the treatment? As if we need any more convincing Alasdhair Willis (creative director of Hunter Wellies, designer and Mr Stella McCartney) has masterminded the look of the whole thing.
People are substituting their traditional fats for coconut oil left, right and centre. Whilst we won't be throwing the butter and olive oil out just yet, coconut oil in curry marries so well with spices and adds a richness of flavour that we just love.
This week's recipe is without doubt the number one dish that has people requesting the recipe the next day. It has been handed down in our circle of friends, finally reaching J&L via J's boyfriend, Jon. A killer vegetarian meal that even our favourite carnivores can't get enough of.
This recipe is also great for using any left over veg, just use the onion and spices as a base. If you don't have chickpeas you can replace with other beans and/or pulses, we love with red lentils and butter beans too - a real store cupboard favourite!
Kale Chana
Serves 2 as a main
Get it
1 x Can of chickpeas
1 x Bag of Kale
1 x Medium onion
2 x Teaspoon Jax Coconut oil
2 x teaspoon Cumin Seeds
2 x teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 x teaspoon Ground Coriander
2 x teaspoon Turmeric
1 x thumb size piece of ginger grated
150ml Vegetable stock
Half a can of coconut milk
2 x tablespoon Greek yoghurt
To serve (optional)
Dollop of Yoghurt
Coriander
1 x teaspoon Jax Coco
3 x garlic cloves (finely sliced)
Do it
- Heat the coconut oil in a pan, add the onion and fry until soft.
- Add the grated ginger and spices, fry off with the onion for 2 minutes
- Add the stock, kale, coconut milk & Chickpeas cook for a further 10 minutes
- Add the yoghurt - stir well, taste and season
- In a separate small frying pan add Jax coconut oil, when hot add the slices of garlic, cook for 2 minutes on each side until they garlic is golden brown and crispy.
- Serve with rice, couscous or simply on its own. Add the yoghurt, coriander and your crispy garlic.
This is also really delicious the next day, so the perfect dish to prepare in advance if you have people coming over for dinner!
Sophie Beresiner is the Beauty Director for ELLE UK. Having cut her teeth on teen titles she spent her career working up to the ELLE mothership, the brand she loves above all else. Except perhaps her Cornish Rex cats and extensive shoe and lipstick collections. Sophie is also a brand founder of luxury ceramic candle brand No.22 (and single-handedly keeps ASOS afloat)
