Mince and dumplings

Ingredients for mince:

a little sunflower oil

1 onion, chopped

2 or 3 carrots, diced

Approx 2 cups of frozen vegemince or re-hydrated dried soya mince

About 1 cup of water or stock

Dash of soy sauce

1 fresh bayleaf or half a teaspoon of dried bayleaf

salt and pepper to taste

For the dumplings:

100g/4oz self raising flour

50g./2oz hard vegan margarine or vegetable suet, broken into small pieces

1 teaspoon of dried herbs (optional)

a little salt

water to mix to a dough (about a quarter cup)

Fry the onion and carrot in the oil for a few minutes. Add the mince, water, seasoning and soy sauce. Make small tears in the bay leaf and place in the pan with the other ingredients (alternatively add dried bay). Bring to the boil and turn down to simmer. For the dumplings: rub the fat into the flour, add herbs if using and salt. Gradually add water and mix until you have a workable dough. Form into about 10 small balls and place in the simmering pan of mince for about 20 minutes until cooked. If the pan of mince is quite shallow you may need to turn the dumplings halfway through cooking. If you used a fresh bayleaf you should remove it before serving (though I have sometimes forgotten and had no complaints!!).