Ingredients

Spice Mixture

• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 1/2 tsp chopped ginger
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 8 cloves
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 8 black peppercorns
• 1 tsp cardamom seeds
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp maldon salt
• 4 tbsp yoghurt

Vegetables

• 300g Cauliflower, broken up into small florets 350g
• 100gOkra, trimmed and cut in 3
• 300g butternut squash, chopped into 3 cm dice
• 300g celeriac or potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm dice
• 2 large onions, sliced finely
• 4 tbsp ghee or peanut oil
• 400ml water or vegetable stock
• juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp roasted cashews

Spiced Pastry

• 200g butter
• 200g plain flour
• 50g chickpea flour
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp milk

To Cook

• 1 egg beaten with a little water (egg wash)

To Serve

• A salad of shredded lettuce, sliced cucumbers and tomatoes
• Plantain Chips (see recipe)

Method

1. Pastry: Place the spices, plain and chickpea flour in a food processor with the butter. Process the mixture until you have a bread crumb like consistency. Add the egg and milk to the mixture with the motor running. The mixture should come away from the sides and form into a dough consistency. If the dough is to dry add a little more milk or if it is to wet add a little more flour. Knead the dough briefly, forming it into a ball. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour before using. To make the pastry by hand simply rub the flour with the spices and butter until you have a bread crumb consistency, make a well in the centre. Beat the egg with the milk and add to the well in the flour mixture. Mix the mixture together with your hands until it forms into a dough and knead briefly into a ball.
2. Roll the dough out so that it is around 8mm thick. Line 6 greased individual pie tins with the pastry and cut the remaining pastry into rounds slightly larger than the tines for the lids to the pies. Place the pastry in the refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
3. Spice Mixture: Grind the garlic with the ginger, coriander seeds, cloves, cumin, peppercorns, salt and cardamom in a pestle and mortar or a food processor, until well ground. Add the chili, turmeric and yoghurt and mix well.
4. Vegetables: Place the spice mixture in a bowl and coat all the vegetable except the onions with the spice mixture, and set aside.
5. Heat ghee or oil in a large saucepan or wok, add the onions and cook over medium to high heat until golden brown. Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.
6. Add the celeriac or potato and sweet potato to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes.
7. Add the salt, water and cauliflower and simmer for 20 minutes, halfway through adding the okra.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the onion, cashews and lemon juice. ( This mixture can be stored in the refrigerator overnight, this will help develop the flavours).
9. To Cook: Preheat an oven to 200°C. Blind bake the pastry bases in the oven until firm but without colour 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and fill the bases generously. Cover the filling with the pastry lids, trim any excess pastry and crimp around the edges sealing in the filling. Make 2 small cuts in the centre of each pie. Brush the pies with the egg wash and bake for 15 minutes until they are golden. Serve.
10. To Serve: Serve the pies on their own or with a salad of lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes, and plantain chips.