Smoked paprika and rose petal curry

Spanish Smoked Paprika has a unique flavour - think "more smoke" and "less paprika". The VegHead has no recollection how, where, when, or even why a tin of this first came into the larder, but ever since it did it's been in regular use. Get a tin. You cannot replicate the flavour by using standard paprika and just nipping outside for a quick puff. There are other brands than "La Chinata", however this happens to be one that we used first and have continued using ever since. It is widely available both online and in most supermarkets, and wherever good smoked paprika is sold.

This pinto bean curry is flavoursome, but not too hot. If you wish to add heat, add 1/2 a teaspoon of your favourite dried chilli powder, or one chopped fresh chilli. Serve with a grain like quinoa, millet, couscous, or barley couscous, or even a side of wok seared spinach and ginger.

Needing:

• 1 can of cooked pinto beans (yes - it was canned beans night in The VegHead's larder)
• 1/2 a small celeriac, peeled and cubed
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
  
• a few slices of onion
• a clove of garlic, crushed
  
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 tablespoon of rose petals
• 1/2 a teaspoon of ground black pepper
• olive oil

To do:

• saute and onion and garlic
• add the celeriac, pepper and paprika. Cook over a low heat until celeriac is medium soft.
  
• Add the beans and tomato. Stir to ensure everything is evenly covered in spices
• Once the tomato has softened, add the rose petals and cook for a further 5 minutes on low
  

Harissa beetroot and aubergine

The VegHead exceeded government guidelines on the consumption of alcohol last night. Thursday was, therefore, a "slow" day. Earlier in the week, prior to this unfortunate slip in decorum, The VegHead and SheWhoMustBeFed had earmarked Thursday dinner as Beetroot and Aubergine Sri Lankan Curry night, on account of having a particularly nice looking aubergine (tight, dark flesh and firm to the touch) as well as two precooked (and un-vinegar-ed) beetroots in the fridge. However, come dinnertime both comfort food and ease of preparation was called for. Thus, I introduce to you "the lazy version" of the curry. Total cooking time is not much more than the time it takes for the aubergine to cook through.

Needing (serves two):

• 2 cooked beetroots (not preserved in vinegar or salt), cubed
  
• 1 medium aubergine, cubed in a chunky sort of way
  
• 1 cup of cooked butter beans
• a few thin slices of onion
• 2 tablespoons of harrisa paste (or more or less to taste)
• olive oil
• generous handful of chopped fresh coriander
• 1/3 cup of coconut milk
  

To do:

• sauté the aubergine, beans, onion, and paste in a generous splash of olive oil
• once the aubergine is cooked, add the beetroot (adding the beetroot later in the cooking process ensures that you end up with some colour variation in the meal. Add it too early and everything just ends up purple. As the beetroot's already cooked, you're really just warming it up and getting it coated it spice)
• just before serving, mix through the coriander and the coconut milk
  

Serve with mashed potato a.k.a. "comfort food"