Potty Plotters: Meet the Derby gardeners on a mission to get people out in the fresh air
There's something special going on at the Ashbourne Road District Allotments in Derby, and it's all down to two gardeners.
Elaine Crick and Julia Slater - aka The Potty Plotters - spend their time teaching allotment amateurs and aspiring gardeners the basics.
They say having a laugh while doing so, is compulsory.
"It all started on an allotment plot, we had plots next door, I think we were put together because we are a bit naughty," says Julia.
"We were called all names under the sun, chuckle sisters and so on and that's when we decided we'd better create our own name Potty Plotters and it fits."
Part of the allotments have been transformed into ten smaller 'starter' plots, which gives the Potty Plotters the space to teach.
A year ago, Sarah and Mark Smith began their green fingered journey on a starter plot, and they have now moved up to a full size one.
Now they visit the allotments almost every day.
"It's been so much fun, we've learned so much, we had no prior knowledge."
"When you sit here at the end of the day with a glass of wine there's nothing better."
Another star pupil of the Potty Plotters is Gillian Black, a solicitor who enjoys the community spirit here.
"Allotmenteers are really proud people, I joined at the bottom, I didn't know anything."
"The teaching was done with a lot of humour and sarcasm, they are good teachers."
According to Elaine and Julia, the great thing about growing so much food is you can eat it, and Elaine has created lots of recipes with vegetables she has grown.
Our presenter Sameena Khan got to try one of Julia's specially-made Pakoras.
And here is how to make them:
Potty Plotter Plot Vegetable Pakoras!
Note: add chopped french beans, chopped runner beans and sweetcorn niblets when they are in season too. You could add peas – fresh or frozen.
What you need:
A large clean bowl
2 large red or white onions peeled and sliced thinly
2 large potatoes – peeled and chopped into quarters then each piece chopped into tiny slithers (for easy quick cooking)
About 3 large handfuls of washed fresh chard leaves which have been de-stalked and the green tops shredded OR use fresh spinach leaves that have been randomly chopped
1 teaspoons of table salt
1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
1 teaspoon of chilli powder OR 2 fresh chillies chopped finely
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 large handful chopped fresh coriander including the stalks (optional)
2 cups (roughly 200 grams) gram flour (chickpea flour)
A large deep-frying pan
Enough vegetable oil for deep frying
Method:
Pop all the ingredients (except the oil for frying) into a very large bowl and mix thoroughly so that everything gets coated with the flour.
Leave the mix for about half an hour and you will see it will start to ‘melt’. Stir the contents again to make sure the flour is mixed thoroughly.
Keep stirring every now and again and after about an hour the ‘batter’ will have formed. The water will have been released from the vegetables and made the mix into a wet batter.
In a deep-frying pan, heat the oil until very hot and then gently drop about a table spoon of the batter mix into the oil and then perhaps another 4 (depending on how big your pan is). Cook for about 3 minutes.
Check the colour of the pakoras and if light brown turn them in the oil to cook the other side.
Again, when light brown, gently spoon each pakora out of the oil and place onto kitchen towel for a couple of minutes then serve to friends.
Then repeat the process and freeze them.
When they are taken out of the freezer, place straight on a baking tray and pop into a hot oven of 180 degrees. Heat for about 6 minutes and serve straight away.