Jamaican dumplings? easy: get 1/2 lb of flour, mix with 2 - 3 tbs of veggy suet, and some salt. add water and mix in till it's a stiff dough. make into balls the size of golfballs and double deep fry. piece of cake! and they are dead yummy.
i forgot about the falaffels what with changing the face of science as we know it on a daily basis and that really good joint i got from eds last friday. anyway, no time like the present:
1 tin of chick peas, loads of mint and parsley (fresh if at all possible) some coriander (fresh) and some garlic. tiny tiny bit of chilli
get the chick peas and drain them (dont bother with dried ones - theyre not really any cheaper and have to soak for 100000 years and taste like bean bag beans). then mash the chick peas with a fork coarsely (dont liquidise - they'll glue up your blender). then mix in tyhe herbs and crushed garlic and leave overnight in the fridge. if you cant be bothered to wait that long then mix in a tiny bit of gram flour to thicken.
they're best deep fried, though you can shallow fry them (turn over gently). as long as the mixture has had time to thicken and dry out a wee bit then you ought to get some pretty nifty falaffels.
ok then: in the true style of middle eastern cooking you have to have lots of fresh mint and parsley. i used to live on this stuff, when i was out in the desert maaaaaan and can promise that you can never have too much fresh mint and parsley. and you'll not tire of it. if you do get fed up with having too much fresh mint and parsley then don't ring up the council - i'll come and take it away for free. none of your manky old dried stuff mind. that's boggin sassenach mince so it is big maan.
tebouleh
bulghur wheat, 2 tomatoes, spring onions, MINT, salt, pepper, lemon juice.
get the bulghur wheat, (about a cupful feeds 2-3), and pour boiling water over it. do not balance the bulghur wheat in your eye sockets before adding the boiling water. i've told you about that before. use a proper bowl and then it will hurt less. then drain and let it cool in the fridge for about an hour. if you HAVE to use dried mint then shove in about 1 1/2 (dont skimp or i'll come round your house and hacksaw your radiators) tablespoons of this lovely Herb, spelt with an H. if you use the fresh stuff, simply rinse it and add to the cooled bulghur wheat. then chop up the tomatoes, shred the spring onions, and mix in to the bulghur wheat and chopped mint. add the other bits and some olive oil.
eat it in a hurry, then you'll have time to make some more.
NEVER add carrots and stuff like that. keep it simple and you'll find the flavours compliment each other brilliantly. too many ingredients will make you psychotic.
Tzatziki
simplicity in itself. get a load of cucumber and a load of yoghort and silly amounts of mint. chop the cucumber and mix it all together. leave to cool in the fridge. tastes better the next day.
Raita
as above but leave out the mint and add a tiny bit of turmeric.