Hodemedod’s was founded in Norfolk by Nick Saltmarsh, Josiah Meldrum and William Hudson in 2012 after recognising the absurdity of the situation surrounding British pulses. Most of the UK’s beans are exported to the Middle East and Northern Africa, while most of the pulses consumed within the UK are imported from abroad. Wanting to do something about this motivated them to set up a small ethical company to work with British farms in order to source and create a market for a range of top quality sustainably produced ingredients. In particular they specialise in grains and pulses, some little known , such as Essex grown Quinoa, Carlin peas, fava beans – grown in Britain since the Iron Age but now almost forgotten – and black badger peas.

Interviewed by Slow Food UK, Nick states that “We desperately need more diversity on farms and in the food we eat for the sake of farming and farmed landscapes, the environment, individual health and our food culture.” Hodemedod’s first product was the Fava Bean, grown in Britain since the Iron Age but little eaten in recent centuries. Fava Beans are delicious, nutritious and good for the soil and bees. Split Fava Beans are especially versatile and easy to cook as they don’t need soaking. Another popular Hodemedod product is their pea flour. With its pale green hue and subtle pea flavour, this flour is a great source of UK grown protein in the vegan diet, with typically 20% or more protein by weight. It’s also perfect for savoury baking, and can be used in batters, pancakes, bhajis, soups, sauces and dips. Every Hodemedod order also come with a recipe card, such as this for refreshingly light dish that is great for Veganuary! We also adapted the original recipe by throwing in a handful of mushrooms…

Courgette, Pea and Mint Fritters

2 large courgettes

1 cup frozen or fresh peas

A good handful of fresh mint

1 cup yellow or green pea flour

Vegan egg replacer for binding, eg, a tsb ground flax seeds or cornflour

1 handful finely chopped mushrooms

A little fresh ground pepper to taste

Olive oil for frying

Grate courgettes into a large bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, stir through and leave to sit for about 10 minutes. In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients (apart from the oil). Squeeze grated courgettes over the sink with your hands to remove excess liquid. Add the courgette to the other ingredients and mix well. Heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat. Take a tablespoon, and transfer spoonfuls of the fritter mixture to the pan. Flatten the spoonfuls with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook for a few minutes on either side. Eat while piping hot, or leave to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Find out more about Hodemedod’s here, and don’t forget to support this small sustainable UK business! Lots more recipes for Veganuary can also be found in The Vegan Book of Permaculture by Graham Burnett – order your SIGNED copy today and get a bonus free copy of ‘The Ecology of the Self – Zone Zero Zero Permaculture Design Notes’, or buy it together with ‘Permaculture A Beginner’s Guide’ plus extra booklets for the special price of just £21!

Order The Vegan Book of Permaculture now!